South Africa vs Switzerland: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese
South Africa
21.8%
in 2024
Switzerland
21.7%
in 2024
South Africa rank
117th
Switzerland rank
120th
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese over time
- South Africa
- Switzerland
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 21.8% against 21.7% in Switzerland, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Switzerland ahead.
South Africa ranks 117th and Switzerland ranks 120th of 199 countries.
Switzerland has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.0% | 14.8% | 11.9% | Switzerland |
| 1990s | 6.2% | 18.9% | 12.7% | Switzerland |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 22.0% | 7.2% | Switzerland |
| 2010s | 21.1% | 22.6% | 1.6% | Switzerland |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 22.0% | 0.2% | Switzerland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese, South Africa or Switzerland?
- South Africa, at 21.8% against 21.7% in Switzerland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese between South Africa and Switzerland?
- 0.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Switzerland?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Switzerland rank globally for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- South Africa ranks 117th and Switzerland ranks 120th of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years old that are defined as either overweight or obese. This means their weight-for-height is more than one standard deviations from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards.