Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern Africa
Northern Africa: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 31.5 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
Northern Africa recorded 31.5 % for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern Africa peaked at 31.5 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.9 %, in 2000.
That places Northern Africa 6th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.9 % | — |
| 2001 | 19.5 % | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 20.1 % | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 20.7 % | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 21.4 % | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 22 % | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 22.6 % | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 23.1 % | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 23.7 % | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 24.3 % | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 24.9 % | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 25.4 % | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 26 % | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 26.6 % | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 27.1 % | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 27.6 % | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 28.1 % | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 28.6 % | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 29 % | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 29.4 % | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 29.8 % | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 30.2 % | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 30.6 % | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 31.1 % | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 31.5 % | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.63 % | 18.9 % | 24.3 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.27 % | 24.9 % | 29.4 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.64 % | 29.8 % | 31.5 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Northern Africa
- 3 Cook Islands 72.4 % compare
- 3 Micronesia 46.8 % compare
- 4 Nauru 71.4 % compare
- 4 Syrian Arab Republic 33 % compare
- 5 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 29.7 % compare
- 5 Tokelau 70.7 % compare
- 6 Niue 66.9 % compare
- 6 Türkiye 28.8 % compare
- 7 Tuvalu 65.1 % compare
- 7 Melanesia 28.5 % compare
- 8 Samoa 64.3 % compare
- 9 French Polynesia 49.2 % compare
- 9 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 24.6 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Northern Africa
- Sheep fat, unrendered — Producing Animals/Slaughtered, annual growth 0.2048 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cereals, primary — Production, annual growth rate 4.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cereals, primary — Yield, annual growth rate -3.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cereals, primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 8.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cattle and Buffaloes — Stocks, annual growth rate -0.5407 % change on previous year (2024)
- Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered -3.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Production, annual growth rate -2.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 3.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Production, annual growth rate 2.36 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern Africa?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern Africa was 31.5 % 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 Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.5 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.9 % in 2000.
- How does Northern Africa rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- Northern Africa ranks 6th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Northern 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.