Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa
Africa: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 16.6 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa stood at 16.6 %. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa peaked at 16.6 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.7 %, in 2000.
Africa ranks 22nd of 37 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.7 % | — |
| 2001 | 9.1 % | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 9.4 % | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 9.8 % | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 10.2 % | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 10.5 % | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 10.9 % | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 11.2 % | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 11.5 % | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 11.8 % | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 12.1 % | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 12.4 % | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 12.7 % | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 13 % | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 13.3 % | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 13.6 % | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 14 % | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 14.3 % | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 14.6 % | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 14.9 % | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 15.2 % | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 15.5 % | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 15.9 % | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 16.2 % | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 16.6 % | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.31 % | 8.7 % | 11.8 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.49 % | 12.1 % | 14.9 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.88 % | 15.2 % | 16.6 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa
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Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Africa was 16.6 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.6 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.7 % in 2000.
- How does Africa rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- Africa ranks 22nd out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) (percent) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.