Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 23.3 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia is 23.3 %, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 35.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Malaysia peaked at 23.3 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.2 %, in 2000.
That places Malaysia 88th 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.2 % | — |
| 2001 | 9.8 % | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 10.3 % | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 10.9 % | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 11.5 % | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 12 % | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 12.6 % | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 13.2 % | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 13.8 % | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 14.3 % | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 14.9 % | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 15.5 % | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 16 % | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 16.6 % | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 17.2 % | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 17.7 % | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 18.3 % | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 18.9 % | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 19.5 % | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 20.1 % | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 20.7 % | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 21.4 % | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 22 % | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 22.7 % | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 23.3 % | +2.6% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 23.3 % is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27.8 %, 84% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 23.3 % is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28 %, 83% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.76 % | 9.2 % | 14.3 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.47 % | 14.9 % | 20.1 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.02 % | 20.7 % | 23.3 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More agriculture & rural data for Malaysia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0822 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,078 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.913 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2261 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Malaysia?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Malaysia was 23.3 % 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.3 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2 % in 2000.
- How does Malaysia rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- Malaysia ranks 88th out of 184 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.