PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Wednesday July 10, 2013 – Trinidad and Tobago has emerged as the top Caribbean country whose adult population is obese, according to a report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The report found that Trinidad and Tobago is ranked sixth among all countries worldwide with 30 per cent of its adult population obese. Mexico with 32.8 per cent of its adult population obese topped the chart, knocking off the United States as the World’s Fattest Developed Nation.
The United States has a rate of 31.8 per cent.
Antigua and Barbuda at number 18 worldwide, is the second Caribbean island featured on the chart with 25. 8 per cent of its adult population obese, followed by St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranked 21 (25.1 per cent) and Dominica 22nd (25 per cent).
Health Minister Dr. Fuad Khan said the report underscores the need for the country to place “a lot of emphasis on fighting obesity, fight the fat, fight the MSG (monosodium glutamate), and fight the sugar”.
The four Caribbean countries were among the top 25 countries worldwide ranked by the FAO.