Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 20.3 % in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
20.3 %
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
113th
of 184 countries
All-time high
20.3 %
in 2024
All-time low
14 %
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Bulgaria, 2000–2024

051015202000201220242000: 14 %2001: 14.4 %2002: 14.7 %2003: 15 %2004: 15.4 %2005: 15.7 %2006: 16 %2007: 16.4 %2008: 16.7 %2009: 17.1 %2010: 17.4 %2011: 17.7 %2012: 18 %2013: 18.2 %2014: 18.5 %2015: 18.7 %2016: 18.9 %2017: 19.1 %2018: 19.3 %2019: 19.4 %2020: 19.6 %2021: 19.8 %2022: 19.9 %2023: 20.1 %2024: 20.3 %

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 Bulgaria stood at 20.3 %. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Bulgaria peaked at 20.3 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14 %, in 2000.

Bulgaria ranks 113th of 184 countries 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 Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) (percent) — Value in Bulgaria, 2000 to 2024.
Year % Change
2000 14 %
2001 14.4 % +2.9%
2002 14.7 % +2.1%
2003 15 % +2.0%
2004 15.4 % +2.7%
2005 15.7 % +1.9%
2006 16 % +1.9%
2007 16.4 % +2.5%
2008 16.7 % +1.8%
2009 17.1 % +2.4%
2010 17.4 % +1.8%
2011 17.7 % +1.7%
2012 18 % +1.7%
2013 18.2 % +1.1%
2014 18.5 % +1.6%
2015 18.7 % +1.1%
2016 18.9 % +1.1%
2017 19.1 % +1.1%
2018 19.3 % +1.0%
2019 19.4 % +0.5%
2020 19.6 % +1.0%
2021 19.8 % +1.0%
2022 19.9 % +0.5%
2023 20.1 % +1.0%
2024 20.3 % +1.0%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

  • Bulgaria's 20.3 % is below the median for high income countries, which is 28 %, 72% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
  • Bulgaria's 20.3 % is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.8 %, 93% of the median. (45 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.54 % 14 % 17.1 % 10
2010s 18.52 % 17.4 % 19.4 % 10
2020s 19.94 % 19.6 % 20.3 % 5

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 110 Afghanistan 20.6 % compare
  2. 110 Belarus 20.6 % compare
  3. 110 Germany 20.6 % compare
  4. 113 Estonia 20.3 % compare
  5. 115 Norway 20.2 % compare
  6. 116 Botswana 19.8 % compare
  7. 116 Slovenia 19.8 % compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Bulgaria?
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Bulgaria was 20.3 % 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 Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 20.3 % in 2024.
What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 14 % in 2000.
How does Bulgaria rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
Bulgaria ranks 113th out of 184 countries with data for 2024.
Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Bulgaria 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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Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-obesity-in-the-adult-population-18-years-and-older-percent-value/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) (percent) — Value
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
241 places, 6,023 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.