The United States is a country that has mastered the art of processing information and punching itself in the gut. Many people attribute candy consumption to being a strong contributor to obesity and health issues.
However, when we look at the facts, the United States isn't even in the top 10(1) when it comes to per capita candy intake! The top 3 countries are Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland which consumed 28.7, 26.2, and 25.4 pounds of candy in 2016, respectively. Meanwhile, the obesity rates in Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland are 23.6%, 23%, and 10.3% which are half to a quarter of the obesity rates for the United States, which is at a whopping 40%. According to Bloomberg Global Health Index, 2019, Switzerland is one of the top 5 healthiest countries in the world with a score of 90.93. It's also important to note that Japan, a country with a 4.2% obesity rate has a very mature market of foods that contain non-nutritive sweeteners.
Meanwhile, interesting case studies are the Cook Islands and Naaru which have a population of about 17,459(2016) and 12,511(2021) and obesity rates of 55.9% and 61% respectively. For the sake of this example, Cook Island has a diet that is traditional and free of corporate-level fast food joints. What these countries do have are feasting and meals being a prominent part of their living. A majority of their diets are high in salty foods while still maintaining a more traditional culinary lifestyle.
Perhaps the problem isn't sweet foods but poorly structured salty food. The case of Cook Island also notes that even cultures that are stronger adherents to a traditional lifestyle are prone to obesity and associated health issues.
At Ketogeek, our Energy Pods are constantly evolving using high-quality sweeteners, without added sodium, and using the latest research from the food and nutrition world. We also think tasty should be healthy and vice versa as this allows for joyful, sustainable, and healthy living. Go get some and usher in better foods for a better future!