Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in High-income economies
High-income economies: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 24.7 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in High-income economies, 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 High-income economies stood at 24.7 %. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in High-income economies peaked at 24.7 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.9 %, in 2000.
That places High-income economies 16th out of 37 groups 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 High-income economies, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.9 % | — |
| 2001 | 17.4 % | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 17.9 % | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 18.4 % | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 18.9 % | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 19.4 % | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 19.8 % | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 20.3 % | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 20.7 % | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 21.1 % | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 21.4 % | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 21.8 % | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 22.1 % | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 22.3 % | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 22.6 % | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 22.9 % | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 23.1 % | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 23.4 % | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 23.6 % | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 23.8 % | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 23.9 % | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 24.1 % | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 24.3 % | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 24.5 % | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 24.7 % | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.08 % | 16.9 % | 21.1 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.7 % | 21.4 % | 23.8 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.3 % | 23.9 % | 24.7 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near High-income economies
- 13 Egypt 43.9 % compare
- 13 United Republic of Tanzania 11.5 % compare
- 14 Belize 43.4 % compare
- 14 Caribbean 25.6 % compare
- 15 Puerto Rico 42.4 % compare
- 16 Lao People's Democratic Republic 9.2 % compare
- 16 Marshall Islands 42 % compare
- 16 Qatar 42 % compare
- 18 Chile 40.5 % compare
- 18 Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.7 % compare
- 18 Palau 40.5 % compare
- 19 Timor-Leste 3.6 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for High-income economies
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,513 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,934 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 9 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are overweight 8.4 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modelled) 4 % (2024)
- Gross domestic product per capita, PPP, (constant 2021 international) 58,335 Int$/cap (2024)
- Number of obese adults (18 years and older) (million) — Value 282.3 million No (2024)
- Dietary energy supply used in the estimation of the prevalence of 3,578 kcal/cap/d (2024)
- Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) 17.4 % (2023)
- Average dietary energy supply adequacy (percent) (3-year average) 140 % (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in High-income economies?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in High-income economies was 24.7 % 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 High-income economies?
- The highest recorded value was 24.7 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in High-income economies?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.9 % in 2000.
- How does High-income economies rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- High-income economies ranks 16th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in High-income economies?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this High-income economies 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.