USA is Fattest of 33 Countries

USA is Fattest of 33 Countries: The U.S. is the fattest nation among 33 countries with advanced economies, according to a report. Two-thirds of people in this country are overweight or obese: about a third of adults -- more than 72 million -- are obese, which is roughly 30 pounds over a healthy weight. Obesity rates have skyrocketed since the 1980s, says the report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The countries with the fastest obesity growth rates are; the United States, Australia and England. Obesity cost the U.S. an estimated $147 billion in weight-related medical bills in 2008, according to a study by government scientists. The report "makes the case for a much more robust set of government and societal actions because if society waits for business and individuals to do what is really needed, the obesity epidemic will simply get much, much worse," says Neville Rigby, director of the European Obesity Forum.