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With the word’s best athletes competing in Vancouver, The Daily Beast crunches the numbers to determine the most slothful nations on the planet. Welcome to the Couch Potato Olympics.
While a few hundred athletes skate, ski and prance over the ice and slush of Vancouver each Olympic day, a few hundred million people sit on their duffs, with beer and whatever the local version of Cheetos is and take it all in on television or online.
Which gave us an idea. Rather than give all the glory to the countries with the fittest and fastest, why not an Olympic style competition to determine the laziest country in the world?
Click Image to View Our Gallery of the Laziest Countries
For the Couch Potato Olympics, we stuck with 24 countries in the developed world, as determined by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development-member countries that had extensive data available. The large majority of this list is Western—a byproduct of only ranking countries with accurate, reliable, and consistent data. (There was no Russian judge in this competition.)
We evaluated four criteria, each weighed evenly:
• Calories Per Day: from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations from the 2009 Statistical Yearbook; 2003-2005 data.
• Television Viewing: combined data from the OECD Society at a Glance 2009 and OECD Communications Outlook 2009, tracking hours of television watched per day and the percent of people who prefer to watch television with their free time.
• Aversion to Playing Sports: from the OECD Society at a Glance 2009, tracking the percent of people who prefer to play sports with their free time.
• Internet Usage: average hours per capita for December 2009, provided by ComScore.
Most countries had good data for all four of these criteria—we didn’t rank any country that didn’t provide scores in at least three (for those countries, the remaining three categories were evenly weighted). For ties, the country that consumed more calories won (or lost, if you’re looking at their waistline). Read on for the winners of the Couch Potato Olympics. For once, the real winners are the losers. And it starts with a country that may or may not surprise you.
Clark Merrefield oversaw this ranking, with assistance from Tali Yahalom.
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jomama
You trash Canada for awful Internet infrastructure yet they rank #1 in Internet usage? Lame. Infrastructure is not awful, it's just expensive and the ISPs are aggressive.
Karen Martin
im new to this if im doing this right i would appreciate hearing from you i wrot on my wall iguess last night just check it out and get back to me. thankyou fellow canuck
athrunz
To tell you 1 thing I'n Canadian and if Canada had the temperature of the USA I can assure you tha Canada wouldn't watch that much TV or use internet.
For example of myself I'm from Quebec the weirdest place for weather almost no summer cold days almost for 3 seasons and I hate cold so when it start to get cold I keep myself inside and barely only go to work then goback home and do not go out except to do my grocery shopping that is not too expensive compared to many other place in Canada even for fruits and vegetables. IThough I stay most of the time inside in winter I do go to the grocery store or at work walking or using my bicycle(of course I do not have kids but if I had I would equipe my bicycle with a trailer to put the grocery bags in it)lol in winter I walk and sometimes I even use my bicycle. I'm really not the only one like that in Canada, if we had weather like I don't know around California, Virginia to Florida I can assureyou that most of Canadian would be outside playing sports or doing other activities, for us Canadian temperature really sucks but despite that we love OUR country except the cold part...lol
Also when I was in highschool in the middle 80's we were barely able to see any kind of fat people today they are getting so fat it's like when you see a nice fit girl you're saying wow one who care for her health ;p but Quebec is still skinner than the rest of Canada maybe because of our French roots...lol
That's one reason why I so love being in asian countries where women are thin and so enjoyable to look at ;p
When I go to the USA as the English part of Canada even with my 6foot 150pounds(tiny bones it helps...lol) I feel sooo little, I even saw a kid of about 10 years old bigger than I ;s I was scared and his little brother of about 7 years old was heavier than I and I'm 35 :s that little poor boy was at least 200pounds :(
It's not just the fast food that people are eating it's also the size of the meal they are eating, when I go to the USA I have to take the kid menu and sometimes at some places it's almost to much for me :s
When asking a small size of cola I get what we call a big one in Quebec no wonder why kids get so much of calories that they can't even spent by playing sports all day with the size of a burger that is almost 2 times the size of one in Quebec :s poor you start to take care of yourself better ;)
When I am in asian country I walk more I do more outdoors activities, I don't use car and I eat smaller meal and very delicious ones and I easily lose 10 to 15 pounds in about 2 months without doing any sports it feels sooo much better, now that I have to go back to Canada again I will have to do more activities t keep a good ealthy living and until I can come back to any asian countries, at least this time its gonna be late spring and summer in Canada so good for outdoors activities ;p
plepjohnson
Canada has a very solid internet infrastructure. I think the authors forgot to check their facts and made a blind assumption based on stereotypes or just plain ignorance. This is a direct quote that I found within a few minutes on wikipedia:
"Canada was one of the first countries to implement a connectivity agenda geared toward facilitating Internet access to all of its citizens. To this day, Canada remains one of the most connected nations in the world, with the highest broadband connection rate among the G7 countries."
In another list on wikipedia called "List of countries by number of Internet users", Canada is 7th if you sort the list by "% of population" while USA is ranked 21.
I don't know where I heard this so I have no source, but I do remember hearing that Canada has the highest per capita number of internet users with a high-speed connection.
delfae
Not sure where you live......but getting connected in rural British Columbia is a nightmare.......Telus (sucks) when your 2 KM from town and they can't hook you up....and everytime you call your reach Manila or Gautamala...frustrated with our lack of eacy access to technology...feel like I'm in a third world country...soon we won't have passable roads...
WestVillager
This proves you can craft a list to support any point.
FluffyRoss
Once, on a holiday in Acapulco, I was sitting in the hotel restaurant overlooking the water. The waiters, all with wasp-thin waists, were snickering as they watched the gargantuan Americans jogging along the sand.
It's all about how much food we eat, and the portions have expanded.
p.s. I always find I lose weight in Mexico. I cannot tolerate the food, except the hot soup, a bun, and coffee. I think it's the key to a wasp-thin waist.
Uberjeff
It's the high fructose corn-syrup, hydrogenated corn seed oil and other over processed foods that find themselves into everything in the grocery store. Few Americans can afford the premium prices it takes to get healthier food that doesn't contain this mess, even fewer have the time to actually prepare that food.
PinkoLefty
I hear ya, Jeff. I finally made the decision last year to only cook and eat foods that I can actually recognize. Nothing processed with the notable exceptions of low fat peanut butter, bread, and the occasional coke (real coke, not that diet garbage). Since doing that I've dropped about 15 pounds. I look good and feel great, but man... it is time consuming and a lot more expensive than just caving in and having a corndog or a Big Mac. For the poor of this country it's just not usually an option. Meats on the bone and whole fruits and vegetables are just not in their budgets.
sophia5
A bag of vegetables, or a few fresh veggies, some fruit, fish . . . cost less than some
Super Sized Fast Food Garbage that many . . . including "poor" . . .
Americans consume.
NOBODY forces anyone to enter a fast food joint.
I saw a couple with their probably 5 year old daughter
eating at a park, Super sized garbage. All of them, including the
daughter looked like walking medicine balls.
I felt like telling the parents they were abusing their child by
feeding her all that crap.
It is an excuse to say the alternative is out of reach, cost prohibitive.
The argument that people don't have access is ridiculous.
There are more grocery stores, Walmarts, etc in close proximity
to eveyone, than ever before.
I see more "disadvantaged" people using Food Stamps (wic cards)
with shopping carts full of expensive fried frozen dinners, sugary
water fruit drinks, snack cakes, soda, etc, etc.
NOBODY IS TOO STUPID to understand less expensive fruits and vegetables are better for you. They are just too irresponsible . . .
NOT "CONDITIONED OR ADDICTED" . . . that would be an excuse
for bad personal behavior. Just irresponsible.
Ask anyone to choose which is healthier a candy bar, or banana,
and NOBODY IS going to choose the candy bar.
So let's stop the excuse that people can't afford healthier food.
We are fat because of the personal decisions we make.
There wasn't much of an obesity problem until about the 80's,
when Americans "PERSONALLY DECIDED" to live on a "diet"
with soda as the primary drink with meals, along with all the chips, fries, etc.
Many foods that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, are cakes,
crackers, desserts, sodas some breads. If it contains High Fructose Corn Syrup,
that's your individual call whether you CHOOSE to eat it or not.
WE ARE FAT BECAUSE OF PERSONAL IRRESPONSIBILITY.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES.
BUY A BAG OF VEGETABLES. THEY'RE DELICIOUS . . .
once you smother them in salt and butter . . . LOL . . . just kidding.
A little salt and tiny bit of butter works fine.
Uberjeff
@Sophia
I should know what the cost in time and money is. We only eat foods without heavily processed junk in them and we actually take the time to cook our meals. The increase in time and money spent on food as a result of these changes is at least double. I'm not just talking value meals and fast food restaurants, I'm talking every single thing in the grocery store that's prepackaged in some way.
Just try looking at the ingredients list for just about anything in the store, you may be surprised by what you find.
Anyoneoutthere
@sophia5, you're one really rude girl and naive girl. the fact is eating health IS very expensive. The fast food and processed food industry get subsidies or perks from various levels of government. If you're fortunate enough to make big bucks and spend $6 on a tiny cup of blueberries or whatever, good for you. Don't assume that because of your own personal financial position and spending habits, people can spend money like you do. Many people are living from pay cheque to pay cheque or are on an fixed income and they can't afford to eat healthy. That's the reality, even if you choose not to believe it.
Mena11
@ Sophia-you obviously have the means to buy quality, healthy food and have never been on food stamps or had to live paycheck to paycheck in order to afford everything life entails. Due to a car accident, I've found myself disabled and unemployed and have had to rely on government assistance (food stamps) in order to pay for my meals and it is EXTREMELY difficult to afford QUALITY fruits and vegetables. I emphasized the word quality because I would like to point out that while Wal-Mart does sell fruits and vegetables at somewhat reasonable prices their produce is crap. I purchased produce from different Wal-Marts on numerous occasions and not only was it extremely difficult finding produce that met my standards for purchase in the first place but they spoiled very quickly (usually within a day or two). I've since switched to Safeway because they have higher quality produce that meets my standards and it also lasts longer but in switching I've also found that I end up paying, on average, one and a half to two times as much per pound than what I paid at Wal-Mart. That in turn means that my food stamps don't last as long and I find myself not being able to purchase other food items I need or sacrificing on other things. I've restricted the types of produce I will buy and the quantities I will buy in order to make the funds last longer but it really is ridiculously difficult to eat healthily on a budget. I would like to know what your personal monthly grocery budget is and where you do the majority of your grocery shopping? I will tell you right now that the gov't gives me a monthly nutritional allowance of $200 and I buy the bulk of my groceries at Safeway. I also clip coupons, shop sales, bargain hunt, and go in with my booyfriend on sales that involve bulk items. Despite all of this, I still end up having to contribute, on average, an extra $50-$100 a month which I really can't afford. I do it, though, because I'm trying to eat as healthily as possible. For you to say that people are just making excuses about what they eat by saying it's too expensive is somewhat ignorant. I'm sure there are people out there that don't bother trying to eat healthily but it's unfair of you to judge those of us that DO care what we put in our bodies and are struggling to pay for the food that goes in our mouths. I'm sure you'll say I'm being a snob for refusing to eat the produce that Wal-Mart sells but I'm positive you'll change your tune once you actually try to shop in their produce department and see for yourself that it's damn near impossible to find anything edible! I'm sure you'll also tell me to just buy a bag of frozen vegetables but I prefer fresh fruits and vegetables. I won't go so far as to buy organic produce because if you ask me, it's a waste of money. I would rather have my produce be bug-free and last a little longer than pay extra and have a worm, bug, or parasite infest my fruits and veggies but I digress. My point is it's EXTREMELY hard to stick to the kind of budget most Americans find themselves restricted to these days thanks to the economy and eat right. Also, I'd like to remind you of the adage, "Judge not, lest ye be judged." You never know what other people's financial situations are like so it's extremely unfair of you to just assume that others are eating the way they do because they want to. In some cases they have no choice.
Mena11
While it is true that American portion sizes are out of control and that on average we don't eat the healthiest foods available, did it ever occur to you that the reason you always lose weight when you travel to Mexico might have something to do with the parasites and gastrointestinal illnesses you pick up from the water? Every single time I've traveled to Mexico, even if it's just for a quick day trip, I end up with severe diarrhea and/or vomiting so I inevitably lose weight.
lah9999
I am not surprised. We have too many distractions to live a healthy lifestyle.
http://graciouslivingdaybyday.com/
Mike1c
I'm with WestVillager on this.
How can the U.S. be both the laziest and the most productive in the world? I'm not very nationalistic myself, but this makes very little sense.
How is the "Sports Aversion" factor applied to a country like The Netherlands, in which a comparatively very large percentage of the population pedal bicycles, yet that country and 5 others are not figured in that catagory? That factor in particular needs to be looked much closer and not just as people who "play sports in their free time."
I would suggest a 2003 BBC report on a U. of Navarra, Spain study of EU countries in which the survey looked at the low energy expenditures of residents of various EU nations. The ranking of the nations conflicts with this report's ranking of European countries included in this silly list.
Uberjeff
Wait, no. This isn't right. An actual refutable research agency said we were something like the 5th or 6th hardest working country in the world, but we're also the laziest? The only countries that beat us in that line up were asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China.
We have the fewest bank holidays of any western country, the longest work week and the furthest commutes. The average American spends 12 hours either at work or commuting to work. Very few non-wealthy families can afford to be supported by a single income so both parent almost always work. The only food that's cheap and fast enough to fit into our schedules is food that makes you fat and most Americans have neither the time nor the money to work out.
This is complete BS. The stereotype of the lazy American is such bullpucky.
way2health
Sorry but totally think you need to rethink your way of how the world go around my friend.
I work full time, have kids school age. Always cook fresh food when I get home everyday! Everyone have the time to cook, everyone have the time to work out.
You don't need money to work out! You don't need to have an extra 3 hours to cook. Is not true that the cheap and fast food avilable is the only that fit "our" yours schedules.
Lets think: how long does it take to chopp a few vegies, open a can of beans, boil some pasta?? probably just as long as it would take to find in the freezer, heat the oven to cook or warm up those fat poor quality food you are chosing!
Net grocery time buy this: some carrots, onios, garlic,beans, frozen or fresh green beans,sweet potatoes, buttercup squash,spinach,cabbage,turnips or others of you choice. choop a bit of each one put all in a pan with a bit of butter with a little bit of water, add a bit of cooked ground beef, add a bit of beans. Thas it! dinner is done in less then 20 minutes. You will loss some pounds, feel healtier, look better....and same MONEY! All those vigies mentioned is enough to feed a family of three...if just yourself it will last you the intire week!
Good lucky!
suzzie
Except,... when travelling to work means driving your SUV and working means sitting at a desk-- THINK ABOUT IT! DUH!
but, I agree that eating well does cost more, definately. If I were to buy prepackaged foods for the week as apposed to unprepared veggies and meat (and didn't Sofia5 even list fish??? fish is even more expensive usually), I would be paying at least half.
camfield
This list would have been more believable had it been illustrated with something more in line with the fact that 1 in 3 Americans are obese--rather than utilizing so many thin and healthy-looking sorts with so many of the countries targeted.
mikefromArlington
What an idiotic list.
You've got Austria as lazy but then say they all contribute to their ski industry. The entire country skis.
America on the other hand, our entire country eats fast food.
permafrost
Those who are attempting to rebut this article have been duped because it has to be either satire or stupidity, either parody or pitiful.
theosays
If this list has any credibility, something I question, then we should wonder how America could consistently excel and often win the Olympic Games and manage to be the world's laziest country at the same time.
dooreen
How can you say America is lazy, they contribute to Wall street/high finance who have you's bonuses, they contributed if not invented the car industry, music industry, space industry, and the gun industry and they police places most of the other countries close their eyes too if they weren't forced to help, and they won 12 gold medals at the olympics, who do you think pays for all that, Americans, and Macdonalds is an american invention too, isn't it?
And computers, they have changed everything, again American. Not everyone is fat is American, but everyone has the freedom to be fat. I read in Japan you get fined for having a waist measuring more than what is determined by government to be healthy. What a great tax grab.
I think the scary thing is, when you average it out, people who are fatter probably have gained alot more than the average person has gained, and the average person has gained a little bit more.
Still 100 extra calories a day leads to 1 extra pound a month, 12 extra pounds a year and in 10 years that is an extra 120 pounds.
100 calories a day is not that much, probably a few spoon fulls of sugar.
I think the problem really is people are alone way too much, even when they are together. Like kids are texting each other, instead of talking. So, I think we will evolve from this.
For example i am eating a small bag of chips. :). And I only ate a few, and putting the rest away for later.
Justincredible
okay do you even know what your talking about. The car industry was not invented by america and if they contribute its little. Over the last year weve seen what the american car companies are capable of...nothing. some were run bankrupt or close to it while the rest of the worlds only took small hits. Music has been around for as long as people so you didnt do anything with that, Also if you look at other countries they have other music and dont listen to american singers and groups. The space agency only happenned cause in the cold war the russians were going to beat you to the moon. and the gun industry really. EVERY COUNTRY MAKES A LOT OF GUNS. Half of what americans use are imported anyway. Also the olympics cannot be compared witht he average person. The olympics are the best of the best of course the people are going to be in shape and fit. I dont thibnk a fat person could survive. Also McDonalds and fast food is the reason for obesity. Saying you invented it just proves this joke of an article right.
The fact that you say "people who are fatter probably have gained alot more than the average person has gained, and the average person has gained a little bit more." just contradicts itself. If your going to reply at least dont contradict yourself in the same sentence.
Also just to throw it in there as a proud Canadian we won 14.
oldskool1981
Yeah! I'm glad somebody threw it out there. If somebody smugly puts it out there that their country got twelve gold medals you kindly shove it back in their direction with fourteen gold medals. lol nice one
honeypunch
I don't think this article was meant to be taken too seriously. I just enjoyed it and liked the pics... :)
phanmo
@ dooreen
You're obviously too lazy to type even a single sentence without a mistake.
manthing7
cause its faster and it not like were at school ffs its not getting marked y waste time of our lives to satisfy ur OCD?
ginsushark
I fricken hate slide shows. fricken hate clicking through 10 pages for what i could see on 1. also the daily beast 1 paragraph cheat sheet. f that. fake content.
Gavin Saunders
Brilliantly said. I'm pretty tired with being taken for a fool too and I hope The Beast wizens up before I find a better, more respectful site.
Ty Pergande
Okay this whole article/slide show fails. The data they used for rankings is useless unless you compare it to, Average hours per work week, average production per labor hour, average amount of vacation taken and average amount of sick time taken. Being a guy who averaged in excess of 68 hours a week for a decade plus alongside a lot of other people I'd say these rankings are a sad pathetic joke.
Thank you.
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