Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in South America
South America: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 30.2 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in South America, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
South America recorded 30.2 % 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.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 35.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in South America peaked at 30.2 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.1 %, in 2000.
South America ranks 11th 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 South America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.1 % | — |
| 2001 | 14.5 % | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 15 % | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 15.5 % | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 16 % | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 16.5 % | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 17 % | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 17.6 % | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 18.2 % | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 18.8 % | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 19.4 % | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 20.1 % | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 20.8 % | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 21.5 % | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 22.3 % | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 23 % | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 23.8 % | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 24.6 % | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 25.3 % | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 26.1 % | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 26.9 % | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 27.8 % | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 28.6 % | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 29.4 % | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 30.2 % | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.32 % | 14.1 % | 18.8 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.69 % | 19.4 % | 26.1 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.58 % | 26.9 % | 30.2 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near South America
- 8 Samoa 64.3 % compare
- 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
More agriculture & rural data for South America
- Raw milk of cattle — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 1.76 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of cattle — Production, annual growth rate 6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of cattle — Producing Animals/Slaughtered, annual 9.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Production, annual growth rate 2.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Production, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Producing -2.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth -1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in South America?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in South America was 30.2 % 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 South America?
- The highest recorded value was 30.2 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in South America?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1 % in 2000.
- How does South America rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- South America ranks 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in South America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South America 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.