Obesity Is Climbing Faster in Vietnam Than Anywhere in Southeast Asia
- Malaysia still has biggest proportion of obese, Fitch says
- Healthcare costs are rising, putting strain on budgets
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Obesity is rising fast in Southeast Asia, putting strain on healthcare systems and government budgets, particularly in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, according to research from Fitch Solutions Macro Research.
Vietnam had the biggest increase in the number of obese people -- those with a body mass index above 25 -- in the five years through 2014, at 38%, followed by Indonesia at 33%. However, as a proportion of the population, Vietnam still had the lowest share of obese at 3.6%, far behind Malaysia’s 13.3% and compared with Indonesia’s 5.7%.