Looking thin does not necessarily mean you have a low body fat percentage or are healthy. Many here may look thin but have very soft/fluffy bodies with extremely low muscle mass. These body types are where the neck/waist measurements become very inaccurate for determining body fat. I'm not sure what source the CIA is getting this information from but I would imagine they are just gathering self reported data from each country for most of these unclassified data points. I believe the CIA website is basically nothing more than a wiki and you certainly shouldn't think that any information there has been collected from CIA operations.
The CIA has been publishing its World Fact Book since 1962 (unclassified since 1971), and it is widely regarded as a generally reliable source (which doesn't means there's no mistakes). This entire discussion about obesity being a problem in the Philippines seems rather pointless though. Rather than obesity, malnutrition is a problem that needs addressing in this country, but that's something for another thread.
You can have both issues happening simultaneously. Both are horrible for health outcomes. One problem doesn't negate another problem and we can, as a society, address more than one problem at a time.
True, all I am saying is that in terms of the size of the problem, malnutrition is a much bigger issue here.
Being "skinny fat" (a metabolically obese normal weight) can come from a poor/malnourished diet. A morbidly obese person can also be malnourished. They aren't opposite ends of the spectrum.
Which is what I said in the OP it was merely my observation on my walks around the Barangay. It is the Keyboard warriors that have Taken this to it's now ( as you say ) a pointless level, maybe some should get out in their Barangays and have a look around but for me, time to be
Maybe you don't go out much but next time you do have a look at how many guys are going around with their t shirts rolled up and proudly displaying overhanging fat bellies, maybe it's a fashion statement thing here.
You say you don't see this in your barangay when walking around, maybe some of us live in barangays that this obesity thing can be seen. Barangays have different socioeconomic demographics, in fact many barangays seem to have the lines drawn by this very thing. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone as it is human nature to surround themselves with people of similar socioeconomic status. One thing I have definitely noticed in the last 15 years being here (living in different barangays, provinces and islands) is that I see far more obese locals today than I did when I first came here. Seeing an obese beggar was something you would have rarely seen 15 years ago, today it is not all that uncommon. This thread is about obesity and it is a growing problem no matter if you want to/can see it or not. (Didn't you start this thread by stating you have seen this yourself? I'm not sure about that but I think you did. Not sure where this 180 came from.) Edit: never mind, just went back to look. I see what you are saying now.