World’s biggest eaters REVEALED – countries that consume most calories
America is known for its large portion sizes and an even bigger obesity problem – and this map shows why.
People in the US consume an average of 3,868 calories per day, the second highest number of any country in the world.
It is eclipsed only by Bahrain, in the Middle East, where people consumed an average of more than 4,000 calories a day.
This is shown by research by OurWorldInData, based at the University of Oxford, which collected figures on calorie consumption per country from the United Nations.
The UK ranks 26th overall, with the average person eating 3,422 calories every 24 hours.
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Of the 184 countries surveyed for the study, 173 consumed more than 2,000 calories per day — or more than the recommended daily average for both sexes.
Researchers warn that overconsumption fuels obesity — with 1 billion people now obese compared to 175 million in the 1970s — and causes associated health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease.
At the top of the list was Bahrain, a small but prosperous island off the coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
Four in 10 adults in the country are obese, data shows, which is associated with a more sedentary lifestyle and increased consumption of fast food.
Rounding out the top five countries for calorie consumption was Ireland, with 3,850 calories per day, Belgium with 3,824 and Turkey with 3,762.
The data collected by OurWorldInData – an Oxford University information platform – came from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The data was based on the total amount of food purchased per household averaged for each country and does not necessarily represent calories consumed. For example, waste is not taken into account.
But calorie consumption has been rising globally for decades as convenience foods, fast foods, and more processed foods become available.
As foods contain more and more calories, researchers warn that they are also becoming more and more nutrient deficient.
Some experts say this leads to a vicious cycle in which the human body pushes people to eat more in an effort to get essential nutrients.
But as a result, this leads many to consume extra calories that they don’t burn.
The overconsumption epidemic is also linked to poor sleep, driven by a 24-hour lifestyle, the constant presence of electric light and a stressful lifestyle.
Studies show that when someone has slept too little, their appetite is not as well regulated and therefore more likely to lead to overconsumption. They are also more likely to eat sugary foods than those who are well rested.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says people should consume about 2,000 calories per day on average.
The UK public health service, the NHS, says women should eat about 2,000 calories a day, but men 2,500.
Share of the world’s population with obesity between 1975 and 2016, according to OurWorldInData
At the other end of the scale, the Central African Republic had the lowest calorie consumption in the world: 1,641 per person per day.
It was followed by Burundi (16.96), Madagascar (1,770), Zimbabwe (1,853) and Yemen (1,957).
All of these countries have experienced protracted political conflicts that have affected their economies and thus their national food supply.
The Central African Republic, which was at the bottom of the list, has been dealing with a civil war since 2012 that has now forced 1.1 million people – or a fifth of the country’s population – to flee their homes.
The current government, led by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, relies on the Russian Wagner Group to maintain its authority.