The South Pacific Is Fatter than the United States

London's Independent announced that South Pacific Island Nauru is now the fattest nation on earth and according to the World Health Organisation, Pacific island nations occupy the top seven places in the global obesity rankings.

Kathy Marks, the Independent's Asia-Pacific correspondent reports of Nauru:

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The statistics are alarming. In Nauru, which tops the league table, 97 per cent of men and 93 per cent of women are overweight or obese. The region's diabetes rates are among the world's worst: 47 per cent in American Samoa, 44 per cent in Tokelau. Preventable conditions such as heart disease and cancer are responsible for three-quarters of deaths in this apparently carefree corner of the planet.

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And unlike the West, Polynesians see generous proportions as a sign of prosperity. Unfortunately, this tropical paradise who are importing food from the United States, have also managed to import the States's food related diseases of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.