Netherlands vs South Africa: Obesity in men vs. women
Netherlands
14.2%
in 2024
South Africa
14.5%
in 2024
Netherlands rank
131st
South Africa rank
129th
Obesity in men vs. women over time
- Netherlands
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 14.5% against 14.2% in Netherlands, a difference of 0.3%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Netherlands ahead.
Netherlands ranks 131st and South Africa ranks 129th of 199 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Netherlands averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Netherlands | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.9% | 3.5% | 1.4% | Netherlands |
| 1990s | 7.7% | 7.6% | 0.1% | Netherlands |
| 2000s | 11.6% | 12.8% | 1.2% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 13.4% | 14.4% | 1.0% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 14.0% | 14.4% | 0.4% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher obesity in men vs. women, Netherlands or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 14.5% against 14.2% in Netherlands as of 2024.
- What is the difference in obesity in men vs. women between Netherlands and South Africa?
- 0.3%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and South Africa?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do Netherlands and South Africa rank globally for obesity in men vs. women?
- Netherlands ranks 131st and South Africa ranks 129th of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Obesity in men vs. women. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) equal to, or greater than, 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared.