Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados
Barbados: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 41.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados, 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 children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados stood at 41.5%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados peaked at 41.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 1980.
That places Barbados 21st out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 10.8% | — |
| 1981 | 11.2% | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 11.6% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 12.0% | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 12.4% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 12.9% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 13.4% | +3.9% |
| 1987 | 14.0% | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 14.5% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 15.1% | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 15.7% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 16.3% | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 17.0% | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 17.7% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 18.4% | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 19.1% | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 19.9% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 20.6% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 21.4% | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 22.1% | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 22.9% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 23.7% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 25.4% | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 27.0% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 27.8% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 28.6% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 30.2% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 31.0% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 31.8% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 32.7% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 33.5% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 34.2% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 35.0% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 35.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 38.0% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 38.8% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 39.5% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 40.2% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 40.9% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 41.5% | +1.6% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 41.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 1.4× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 41.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.7%, 1.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.8% | 10.8% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.8% | 15.7% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.6% | 22.9% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.6% | 31.0% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.2% | 38.8% | 41.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 18 Belize 43.4% compare
- 19 Argentina 43.1% compare
- 20 Saint Kitts and Nevis 42.0% compare
- 22 United States 41.5% compare
- 23 Peru 40.9% compare
- 24 Micronesia (country) 40.9% compare
More health data for Barbados
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2208 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,453 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5046 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0272 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5262 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Barbados was 41.5% 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 children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 41.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 1980.
- How does Barbados rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Barbados ranks 21st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados 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 children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.