Tonga has the highest percentage of obese people in the world

(Patria) - The Kingdom of Tonga has the highest percentage of obese people in the world, reports Punkufer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned for years that more than 70 percent of adult citizens of this country in Polynesia are obese, meaning they have a body mass index greater than 30.

Also, it has been recorded that as many as 40 percent of the inhabitants have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Of the 176 islands in the archipelago, which stretch over 748 kilometers in the Pacific Ocean, only about fifty are inhabited, and they are home to a total of about 107,000 inhabitants.

They are mainly engaged in fishing, agriculture, and tourism.

Some scientists believe that the problem of obesity in Tonga is partly caused by genetics - islanders had to survive long periods without food in the past, so they adapted and learned to retain fat in their bodies for longer.

Others, however, believe that their weight is directly related to a lack of information about the principles of healthy eating and low incomes.

Although their traditional cuisine is based on healthy fats such as fish, seafood, and coconut milk, in the last fifty years, the population has turned to cheap sources of imported protein - mostly fatty pieces of lamb from New Zealand, which they excessively enjoy.

As early as 2012, it was measured that the average man in Tonga weighs 99.4 kilograms, and women 97.7 kilograms.

A high body mass index has also been recorded in other island nations in the Pacific Ocean, such as American Samoa, Nauru, Tuvalu, and the Cook Islands.

In many parts of the Pacific, unhealthy food is cheaper and more accessible, and is advertised more than healthy food.

Healthy food is harder to obtain due to climate change, droughts, and floods, and also comes at a higher price that the "ordinary" population cannot afford.