Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Australia and New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 31.1 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Australia and New Zealand, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Australia and New Zealand is 31.1 %, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Australia and New Zealand peaked at 31.1 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.8 %, in 2000.
That places Australia and New Zealand 54th out of 184 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Australia and New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.8 % | — |
| 2001 | 20.5 % | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 21.1 % | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 21.8 % | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 22.4 % | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 23 % | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 23.6 % | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 24.1 % | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 24.6 % | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 25.1 % | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 25.5 % | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 25.9 % | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 26.3 % | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 26.7 % | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 27.2 % | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 27.6 % | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 28 % | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 28.4 % | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 28.8 % | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 29.2 % | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 29.6 % | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 30 % | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 30.4 % | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 30.8 % | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 31.1 % | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.6 % | 19.8 % | 25.1 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.36 % | 25.5 % | 29.2 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.38 % | 29.6 % | 31.1 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia and New Zealand
- 51 Grenada 31.5 % compare
- 52 Hungary 31.4 % compare
- 53 Uzbekistan 31.2 % compare
- 55 Trinidad and Tobago 30.9 % compare
- 56 Croatia 30.8 % compare
- 56 Dominican Republic 30.8 % compare
- 56 Suriname 30.8 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Australia and New Zealand
- Meat of sheep, fresh or chilled — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 38.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Onions and shallots, dry (excluding dehydrated) — Production, annual 6.76 % change on previous year (2024)
- Onions and shallots, dry (excluding dehydrated) — Yield, annual 0.7658 % change on previous year (2024)
- Onions and shallots, dry (excluding dehydrated) — Area harvested 5.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat of sheep, fresh or chilled — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 8.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat of sheep, fresh or chilled — Production, annual growth rate 7.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat of goat, fresh or chilled — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth 6.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat of chickens, fresh or chilled — Production, annual growth rate 4.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat of chickens, fresh or chilled — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 2.23 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Australia and New Zealand?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Australia and New Zealand was 31.1 % 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 Australia and New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 31.1 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.8 % in 2000.
- How does Australia and New Zealand rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- Australia and New Zealand ranks 54th out of 184 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in Australia and New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia and New Zealand 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.
Download this data
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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.