( CNN ) -- Sizing up the magnitude of Mexico 's obesity problem is as simple as visiting a clothing manufacturer . At Arush , a clothing factory in Mexico City , the changing demand has modified production . Buyers , including Mexican giant retailers like Soriana and Liverpool , are increasingly asking for `` large '' and `` extra large '' sizes , which have all but replaced production of `` small '' and `` medium . '' Designer Adriana Moreno , who works at Arush , said they 're simply adapting to Mexico 's new reality : an explosion of overweight and obese people , mostly in the last three decades . `` In our market , I can tell you we 've had a 50 % growth in sales of large and extra-large sizes in the last three years , '' Moreno said . According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development , 69.5 % of the Mexican population aged 15 and older is overweight or obese . This is the highest rate in the world , even higher than in the United States -- which historically had the highest rate -- and the United Kingdom , which has the highest in Europe . The Mexican government launched a campaign last year urging people to exercise , drink more water , and eat fruits and vegetables . President Felipe Calderón said that `` since 1980 , the percentage of overweight or obese Mexicans has tripled . '' The problem starts early : 4.5 million children between the ages of 5 and 11 are already overweight . Many school districts have banned junk food in their facilities , but it 's readily available right outside , much to the chagrin of parents . `` You can see how many stands there are outside . And they 're all selling junk food ! I think they should also control what they sell out here , '' Daniela Piña said as she waited for her child outside a grammar school in Mexico City 's Doctores neighborhood . Adela Garcia , a stay-at-home mother , said parental responsibility plays a vital role in solving the problem . `` It really starts at home , '' she said . `` We as parents have to take that kind of food away from children so that they eat healthier . '' Mexico 's Institute for Public Health reports that the number of overweight or obese school-aged children increased from 18.4 % in 1999 to 26.2 % in 2006 . It also says that diabetes -- of which obesity is a contributing factor -- has become the No . 1 cause of death in Mexico . Other statistics provided by the institute are very telling . Mexicans drink 160.1 liters ( 42.3 gallons ) of soft drinks per year . The institute also says that school-aged children get at least a fifth of their calories from drinks with a high content of sugar and other sweeteners . `` We trust that the public interest will prevail over private interests and that the federal government will do , under the law , everything possible so that our proposals are quickly implemented , '' the institute says . Their proposals include increasing physical activity in schools and improving nutrition guidelines . Back at the clothes factory , Adriana Moreno is faced with a challenge : pleasing people in spite of their size . `` It 's a very demanding market , very demanding . People are always trying to look good , not seem so overweight . They look for a beautiful garment , a good design that does n't make them look heavier than they really are , '' Moreno said . The war on drugs has killed 30,000 people in the last four years , and violence is front-page news in major newspapers across Mexico . But obesity , excess weight and their related health problems claim almost five times more lives than the war against drug cartels . According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development , individual prevention programs could avoid as many as 47,000 deaths from chronic diseases every year . Mexico 's Health Ministry reports that obesity and excess weight cost the country $ 5.5 billion in expenses associated with treating people with diabetes , high cholesterol , high blood pressure and heart disease . CNN 's Rey Rodriguez in Mexico City contributed to this report .
It is the No . 1 disease in Mexico , the agency says . Nearly 70 % of the population is overweight or obese . They drink more than 42 tons of soft drinks per person each year .