El Salvador vs South Africa: Prevalence rate of obesity in adults
El Salvador
32.2%
in 2024
South Africa
31.8%
in 2024
El Salvador rank
50th
South Africa rank
51st
Prevalence rate of obesity in adults over time
- El Salvador
- South Africa
How they compare
El Salvador currently reports 32.2% against 31.8% in South Africa, a difference of 0.4%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was South Africa ahead.
El Salvador ranks 50th and South Africa ranks 51st of 199 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | El Salvador | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.2% | 12.6% | 3.3% | South Africa |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 18.4% | 3.9% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 20.7% | 25.3% | 4.7% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 26.8% | 29.2% | 2.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 31.0% | 31.2% | 0.1% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher prevalence rate of obesity in adults, El Salvador or South Africa?
- El Salvador, at 32.2% against 31.8% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in prevalence rate of obesity in adults between El Salvador and South Africa?
- 0.4%, with El Salvador ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for El Salvador and South Africa?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do El Salvador and South Africa rank globally for prevalence rate of obesity in adults?
- El Salvador ranks 50th and South Africa ranks 51st 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 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.