The number of overweight and obese people has skyrocketed over the past thirty years, jumping from 857 million in 1980 to more than 2 billion in 2013. That's approximately a third of the world's population.
In 2010 alone, between 3 and 4 million people died due to complications from obesity.
While the United States is often pegged as the standard-bearer for overweight populations, there are more than a few countries tracking close behind.
With people in the world becoming more sedentary thanks to desk and computer jobs and more and more gaining access to high calorie, high fat foods like fast food and soda, the obesity epidemic will become a massive public health crisis in the coming decades, unless drastic steps are taken.
A new study out in The Lancet by the Global Burden of Disease has revealed the ten countries with the highest rates of obesity. A few may surprise you.
1. United States
78 million people, or 33% of the adult population.
46 million people, or 4.4% of the adult population.
30 million people, or 3.8% of the adult population.
28 million people or 24.1 percent of the adult population.
22 million or 16.2 percent of the adult population.
20 million or 26.9 percent of the adult population.
18 million or 35.9 percent of the adult population.
16 million or 24.3 percent of the adult population.
14 million or 13.6 percent of the adult population.
11 million or 6.8 percent of the adult population.