Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Western Asia and Northern Africa
Western Asia and Northern Africa: 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 Western Asia and Northern Africa, 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 Western Asia and Northern Africa stood at 31.6 %. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Western Asia and Northern Africa peaked at 31.6 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.9 %, in 2000.
That places Western Asia and Northern Africa 4th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Western Asia and Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20.9 % | — |
| 2001 | 21.5 % | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 22.1 % | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 22.7 % | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 23.3 % | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 23.9 % | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 24.5 % | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 25 % | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 25.6 % | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 26.1 % | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 26.6 % | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 27.1 % | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 27.6 % | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 28.1 % | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 28.5 % | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 28.9 % | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 29.4 % | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 29.7 % | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 30 % | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 30.2 % | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 30.5 % | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 30.7 % | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 31 % | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 31.3 % | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 31.6 % | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.56 % | 20.9 % | 26.1 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.61 % | 26.6 % | 30.2 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.02 % | 30.5 % | 31.6 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Western Asia and Northern Africa
- 1 American Samoa 75.9 % compare
- 1 Polynesia 59.1 % compare
- 2 Micronesia (Federated States of) 48.6 % compare
- 2 Tonga 73.8 % compare
- 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
More agriculture & rural data for Western Asia and Northern Africa
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,828 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,365 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 25 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are overweight 7.4 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modelled) 18.1 % (2024)
- Gross domestic product per capita, PPP, (constant 2021 international) 23,360 Int$/cap (2024)
- Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services 91 % (2024)
- Number of obese adults (18 years and older) (million) — Value 119 million No (2024)
- Dietary energy supply used in the estimation of the prevalence of 3,028 kcal/cap/d (2024)
- Percentage of population using safely managed sanitation services 61 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) in Western Asia and Northern Africa 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 Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.6 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) recorded in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.9 % in 2000.
- How does Western Asia and Northern Africa rank for prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older)?
- Western Asia and Northern Africa ranks 4th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) rising or falling in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Asia and 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.