Share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia
Zambia: Share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply was 10.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia stood at 10.1%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 64.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia peaked at 10.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1980.
That places Zambia 171st out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.3% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 1.7% | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 1.8% | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 4.2% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 5.0% | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 5.2% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 5.5% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 5.8% | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 6.1% | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 7.9% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 8.3% | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 8.7% | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 9.6% | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 10.1% | +4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 2.9% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 5.0% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.2% | 8.3% | 10.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.2049 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.2048 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply in Zambia was 10.1% in 2024, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply?
- Zambia ranks 171st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of adults who are obese vs. daily protein supply. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.