Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern America and Europe
Northern America and Europe: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 26.5 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern America and Europe, 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 Northern America and Europe stood at 26.5 %. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern America and Europe peaked at 26.5 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.5 %, in 2000.
Northern America and Europe ranks 12th of 37 groups 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 Northern America and Europe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.5 % | — |
| 2001 | 20 % | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 20.5 % | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 21.1 % | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 21.6 % | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 22 % | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 22.5 % | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 23 % | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 23.4 % | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 23.7 % | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 24.1 % | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 24.4 % | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 24.6 % | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 24.8 % | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 25.1 % | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 25.3 % | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 25.5 % | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 25.6 % | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 25.8 % | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 25.9 % | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 26 % | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 26.1 % | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 26.2 % | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 26.3 % | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 26.5 % | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.73 % | 19.5 % | 23.7 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.11 % | 24.1 % | 25.9 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.22 % | 26 % | 26.5 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Northern America and Europe
- 9 French Polynesia 49.2 % compare
- 9 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 24.6 % compare
- 10 Bahamas 48.3 % compare
- 10 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 23 % compare
- 11 Republic of Moldova 22.3 % compare
- 11 Saint Kitts and Nevis 46.7 % compare
- 12 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 12 % compare
- 12 Kiribati 45.6 % compare
- 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
More agriculture & rural data for Northern America and Europe
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,528 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,945 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 7 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modelled) 3.8 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are overweight 8.6 % (2024)
- Gross domestic product per capita, PPP, (constant 2021 international) 57,563 Int$/cap (2024)
- Number of obese adults (18 years and older) (million) — Value 240.7 million No (2024)
- Dietary energy supply used in the estimation of the prevalence of 3,666 kcal/cap/d (2024)
- Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) 17.3 % (2023)
- Average dietary energy supply adequacy (percent) (3-year average) 144 % (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern America and Europe?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Northern America and Europe was 26.5 % 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 America and Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 26.5 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Northern America and Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.5 % in 2000.
- How does Northern America and Europe rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- Northern America and Europe ranks 12th 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 America and Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Northern America and Europe 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.