I chose to focus on sugar consumption in different countries and look at which countries have the highest consumption of added sugars, because I think added sugars and processed foods have a huge influence on the our planet growing problem of obesity and diabetes. From my research, I learned that the United States has by far the highest sugar consumption in the world at 126.4 grams, over 10 times the lowest recommendation (World Atlas). The next five countries with the highest sugar consumption were Germany, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands, and Mexico. According to the WHO, the amount of added sugar in one's diet should never exceed 25 grams, and that countries with such high consumption are dramatically increasing the risk of many health conditions on their population (WHO). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay There is more and more research underway on the harmful effects of added sugars and how they can cause greater harm to a person's weight and health because of the dramatic effects it has on cholesterol and insulin levels. Countries such as Indonesia, China, Russia, Singapore, Israel and the Philippines all consumed grams of sugar per capita that were within or below the parameters set by the FDA (Food Pyramid). These countries also have some of the lowest rates of diabetes and obesity among their populations. However, these countries also tend to report much lower consumption of processed foods than countries at the top of the list. Therefore, these statistics may be more closely related to the link between diabetes, obesity, and processed foods. Studies also indicate that a diet high in refined sugars can lead to an increased risk of diabetes or heart disease even in people of normal weight. The countries that showed the highest sugar consumption were even closer when compared to the risks of these conditions for their populations. I think that when researching obesity, or any other health condition related to it, it is important to also consider a country's consumption of processed sugar, because this seems to have an undeniable effect on the overall health of the population. Please note: This is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay This information will be useful when I work on my "Follow Your Happiness" assignment, because I will likely focus on a nutrition-based health area among a number of countries. I'm not very surprised by the results of this research, because the countries that had the highest rates are also known to have the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diet-related conditions. However, I would be interested in further researching the countries that ranked lower on the list and seeing if I can determine why they rank low in sugar consumption. Whether it is due to malnutrition or if their diet has remained naturally low in added sugars and/or processed foods. I think research into countries that are better at avoiding processed sugars could shed light on ways we can help reduce dramatically rising rates of obesity and various conditions in many developed countries.