Trends
44 years of change
Between 1980 and 2024, adult obesity went up in 198 of 200 countries. Here’s how the story unfolds — for men and women, region by region, and across rich and poorer countries.
Men and women
World: adults with obesity by sex, 1980–2024
What this meansWomen: 7.3% → 18.4%. Men: 3.4% → 13.8%. Worldwide, a larger share of women than men live with obesity.
- Women
- Men
Age-standardized; shaded bands = 95% uncertainty.
Source: WHO Global Health Observatory.
Region by region
Adults with obesity in WHO’s six world regions
What this meansEvery region went up. The biggest rise relative to its starting point was in South-East Asia: about 20.8 times the 1980 level.
- Americas
- Eastern Mediterranean
- Europe
- Africa
- Western Pacific
- South-East Asia
Show the numbers as a table
| Region | 1980 | 2000 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Americas | 9.3% | 20.2% | 34.4% |
| Eastern Mediterranean | 6.9% | 14.7% | 28.8% |
| Europe | 12.4% | 16.7% | 20.9% |
| Africa | 2.3% | 5.8% | 12.7% |
| Western Pacific | 1.1% | 2.6% | 9.7% |
| South-East Asia | 0.4% | 2.0% | 8.3% |
Age-standardized. Regions follow WHO’s groupings.
Source: WHO Global Health Observatory.
Rich countries and poorer countries
Adults with obesity by country income group
What this meansIn 1980 the highest rate was in high income countries (10.4%); in 2024 it was in high income countries (24.7%). Low-income countries: 1.4% → 10.1%.
- Low income
- Lower-middle income
- Upper-middle income
- High income
World Bank income groups as used by WHO. Age-standardized.
Source: WHO Global Health Observatory.
Wealth vs weight
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What comes next?
1.13 billion
adults are projected to be living with obesity by 2030, up from 524 million in 2010 (World Obesity Atlas 2025 projection).
385 million
adults are projected to have a BMI above 35 by 2030, up from 157 million in 2010 (World Obesity Atlas 2025 projection).
2× and 4×
Adult obesity worldwide has more than doubled since 1990, and adolescent obesity has quadrupled.
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