58% of Latin America overweight

360 million people in Latin America are overweight, according to a new report from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Pan American Health Organisation. 140 million of these are classified as obese.

• The highest rates were found in Bahamas at 69%, Mexico at 64% and Chile at 63%.
• The only countries below 50% were Nicaragua, Paraguay and Haiti, the poorest and lowest at 38.5%.

Among other findings:

• In more than 20 countries, female obesity is 10% higher than for men.
• 4 million children up to the age of 5 are overweight, in excess of 7%.
• 5.5% of the population are undernourished.