China vs Republic of Korea: Prevalence rate of obesity in adults
China
9.3%
in 2024
Republic of Korea
8.4%
in 2024
China rank
177th
Republic of Korea rank
180th
Prevalence rate of obesity in adults over time
- China
- Republic of Korea
How they compare
China currently reports 9.3% against 8.4% in Republic of Korea, a difference of 0.9%.
That makes China's figure about 1.1 times Republic of Korea's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Republic of Korea ahead.
China ranks 177th and Republic of Korea ranks 180th of 199 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and Republic of Korea in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Republic of Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.0% | 1.3% | 0.3% | Republic of Korea |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.9% | 0.2% | Republic of Korea |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 0.0% | Republic of Korea |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 4.8% | 0.5% | China |
| 2020s | 8.3% | 7.4% | 0.8% | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher prevalence rate of obesity in adults, China or Republic of Korea?
- China, at 9.3% against 8.4% in Republic of Korea as of 2024.
- What is the difference in prevalence rate of obesity in adults between China and Republic of Korea?
- 0.9%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Republic of Korea?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do China and Republic of Korea rank globally for prevalence rate of obesity in adults?
- China ranks 177th and Republic of Korea ranks 180th 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 Prevalence rate of obesity in adults. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Estimated prevalence of obesity in adults, based on general population surveys and statistical modeling. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic complications, including cardiovascular disease, and premature death.