In 1978, 17 % of American women and 13 % of American men were considered obese. By 1999, 34 % of US women and 28 % of men were obese. Among Organization for Economic Cooperative Development (OECD) countries, the US had the highest rate of obesity for men and the second highest for women in 1999.
When compared to Japan, the US percentages seem astronomical: Only 4 % of Japanese women and 2 % of Japanese men are considered obese. Despite this, obesity is recognized in Japan by using a different scale. Regardless, this experience shows that a high energy diet is the basic cause of obesity. EXAMPLE: French fries cooked in beef fat.