I visited the ‘world’s most obese country’ – where people love Spam and a cop was ‘too fat to fit in his Lamborghini’

A fascinating documentary transports viewers to one of the least-visited countries in the world – where obesity and cigarette addiction are rife.

Ruhi Çenet ventured to the tiny oval-shaped island country of Nauru, which is more than 1,800 miles north east of Australia. 

In a YouTube video detailing his trip, Ruhi discovers that the 8.1 square mile outcrop only receives ‘one or two tourists’ a month.

Part of the problem is the country’s remoteness. The only way of getting to Nauru is by air, as the coral reefs surrounding the island make it impossible for ships to dock. 

Ruhi traveled for almost 48 hours to get there, with a 13-and-a-half hour flight from Istanbul to San Francisco followed by a seven-hour layover, and then he took a 13-hour flight to Nadi in the Fiji Islands with another seven-hour layover.

The final party of the journey say him take a four-hour flight from Fiji to Nauru’s small one runway airport. 

He said that 75 per cent of the seats on this leg of the journey were unoccupied. 

In his documentary, Ruhi reveals that Nauru was once one of the richest islands per capita due to its phosphate mining income and small population.

An article in The New York Times from 1982, titled World’s Richest Little Isle, states that the ‘Government’s annual income from the sale of phosphate is at least $123 million, or more than $27,000 a year for every Nauruan man, woman and child.’ 

People were so wealthy, Ruhi says there was a ‘spending frenzy,’ and in one part of the island he discovers dozens of super cars from this period left to rust. 

One local he meets reveals that even the police were rolling in cash and one officer purchased a Lamborghini before realizing he was ‘too fat to fit in it.’

However, as predicted in the New York Times piece, Nauru’s primary phosphate deposits ran out and companies found it cheaper to mine elsewhere. 

Ruhi points out that due to the mining, the land on the island is now unusable for farming and all of the food has to be imported. 

This, he says, has contributed to the country’s obesity epidemic. 

He explains: ‘In these destroyed lands where no vegetables and fruits can grow, processed and fatty foods have become the norm.

‘Nauru is recognized by the World Obesity Federation as the world’s most obese country, with around 60 per cent of its citizens are obese.’

In one scene, Ruhi takes a trip to a grocery store, where the shelves are mostly filled with tinned goods. 

Spam is said to be one of the most popular products on the island. 

Meanwhile, fruit and vegetables are slapped with sky-high prices and he finds a cauliflower head priced at AUD $18.59 ($12.45), while a whole watermelon is AUD $61.13 ($40.95).  

Along with an unhealthy diet, Ruhi reveals that Nauru – which became independent in 1968 – also tops the charts when it comes to cigarette consumption. 

According to the World Heath Organization, the country has the highest smoking rates in the world at 52.1 per cent.

It notes that ‘oddly, women smoke slightly more than men in Nauru (52.6 per cent to 51.7 per cent), which is somewhat of an outlier.’

In terms of the island’s layout, Ruhi notes that there is no official capital although Yaren is the site of the legislature and a number of government offices.

It is also home to the country’s only police station, fire department and the airport. 

When he explores the small town, he manages to access the parliament building, which he says is very small with a relaxed feel. 

In another part of the YouTube film, Ruhi details the island’s darker side. 

For two decades, asylum seekers attempting to reach Australia by boat were diverted to Nauru and Ruhi says there were three camps established. 

Detailing the chain of events further, he continues: ‘Around 1,000 refugees, mostly of Afghan, Iraqi and Iranian descent, were transported to Nauru and detained for an indefinite period.

‘People were forced to stay in plastic tents for years under the scorching sun, without regular access to clean water.

‘Many tried to escape from inhuman, miserable conditions and an uncertain future by ending their lives.

‘The ones who suffered the most from this situation were the children, who made up the majority of the camps.

‘Australia was spending an average of $550 million each year to maintain these camps.

‘In other words, the Nauru government made a profit of $500,000 for each refugee held captive on the island.’

During his visit to Nauru, Ruhi attempts to visit the refugee camps but he finds it impossible to gain access. 

He packed a drone with him for the trip but this was confiscated at the airport by police as he says the government are very wary of media investigating life there. 

On the topic of scandals, Ruhi also mentions the island’s past as a haven for tax evasion and money laundering. 

But he says it has since cleaned up its act and the government revoked licenses for hundreds of banks registered in the country.

There is now just one bank on the island remaining and the few ATMs rarely have funds. 

For this reason, he says it is best to travel to Nauru with cash and the currency there is the Australian dollar. 

Ruhi has to spend a week in Nauru in total exploring with the help of a local travel agency, as he had to wait for the next scheduled flight to take him home. 

At the end of his film, he concludes: ‘The illusion of wealth that suddenly Nauru got itself into in the late 1960s caused a generation to not understand the importance of hard-work and education.

‘The government did not make future plans and exhausted all the nation’s resources.

‘It seems almost impossible to build a better future here without the necessary motivation, skills and knowledge.

‘This small island with wounds that can never be healed basically stands in front of us as a summary of what is going on in the world and as a lesson that humanity should always remember.’

So far his YouTube has been viewed more than 36 million times, with many viewers deeming it both ‘educational’ yet’ depressing.’

One commenter wrote: ‘What a sad story. It is interesting to note that even though they have no worries, the people seem to have no dreams either. The island should be a paradise, but it is disgusting.’

Another viewer mused: ‘Nauru is unfortunately pretty much a small-scale example of what’s happening all over the planet.’