Quality of life
branch Overweight and obese population aged 15 or more
As a percentage of population aged 15 or more
  2007*
Mexico 69.5   69.50 
United States 67.3   67.30 
New Zealand 62.6   62.60 
United Kingdom 61.0   61.00 
Iceland 60.2   60.20 
Australia 58.4   58.40 
Greece 57.7   57.70 
Luxembourg 54.8   54.80 
Hungary 52.8   52.80 
Czech Republic 52.0   52.00 
Portugal 51.6   51.60 
Spain 51.1   51.10 
Ireland 51.0   51.00 
Germany 49.6   49.60 
Finland 48.9   48.90 
Austria 47.7   47.70 
Canada 46.8   46.80 
Slovak Republic 46.2   46.20 
Italy 45.5   45.50 
Netherlands 45.5   45.50 
Poland 45.3   45.30 
Denmark 44.6   44.60 
Belgium 44.1   44.10 
Sweden 44.0   44.00 
Turkey 43.4   43.40 
Norway 43.0   43.00 
Switzerland 37.3   37.30 
France 37.0   37.00 
Korea 30.5   30.50 
Japan 25.1   25.10 
*2007 or latest available year.

Definition

The most frequently used measure of overweight and obesity is based on the body mass index (BMI), which is a single number that evaluates an individual's weight status in relation to his or her height (weight/height2, with weight in kilograms and height in meters). Based on the WHO current classification, adults with a BMI between 25 and 30 are defined as overweight, and those with a BMI over 30 as obese.

For more statistics on economic, environmental and social issues visit online the OECD Factbook 2010.