Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) was 31.6 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in United Arab Emirates, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 31.6 % for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 32 % in 2017 and was at its lowest, 25.5 %, in 2000.
That places United Arab Emirates 50th 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 United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25.5 % | — |
| 2001 | 26.2 % | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 26.8 % | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 27.4 % | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 28 % | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 28.5 % | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 29 % | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 29.4 % | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 29.8 % | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 30.2 % | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 30.7 % | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 31 % | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 31.2 % | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 31.4 % | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 31.6 % | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 31.8 % | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 31.9 % | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 32 % | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 32 % | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 31.9 % | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 31.9 % | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 31.9 % | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 31.8 % | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 31.7 % | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 31.6 % | -0.3% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 31.6 % is above the median for high income countries, which is 28 %, 1.1× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 31.6 % is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.7 %, 1.0× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.08 % | 25.5 % | 30.2 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.55 % | 30.7 % | 32 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.78 % | 31.6 % | 31.9 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 47 El Salvador 32.2 % compare
- 48 Honduras 31.8 % compare
- 48 South Africa 31.8 % compare
- 51 Grenada 31.5 % compare
- 52 Hungary 31.4 % compare
- 53 Uzbekistan 31.2 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for United Arab Emirates
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0077 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 386.83 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1404 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.8% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.4% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in United Arab Emirates?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in United Arab Emirates was 31.6 % 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 32 % in 2017.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.5 % in 2000.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 50th out of 184 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.