Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Canada
Canada: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 28.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Canada, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Canada recorded 28.3% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Canada peaked at 29.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 15.4%, in 1980.
That places Canada 86th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15.4% | — |
| 1981 | 15.8% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 16.3% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 16.7% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 17.2% | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 17.7% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 18.2% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 18.7% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 19.3% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 19.8% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 20.4% | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 21.0% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 21.6% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 22.2% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 22.8% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 23.5% | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 24.1% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 24.7% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 25.4% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 26.0% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 26.6% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 27.2% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 27.8% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 28.3% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 28.7% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 29.1% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 29.3% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 29.6% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 29.7% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 29.8% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 29.8% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 29.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 29.7% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 29.6% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.5% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 29.4% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 29.3% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 29.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 29.1% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 29.0% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 28.8% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 28.7% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 28.6% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 28.4% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 28.3% | -0.5% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 28.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 92% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.5% | 15.4% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.2% | 20.4% | 26.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.6% | 26.6% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.4% | 29.0% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.6% | 28.3% | 28.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More health data for Canada
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3588 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,083 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 385 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5214 % 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 0.023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5024 % 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 Canada?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Canada was 28.3% 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 29.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.4% in 1980.
- How does Canada rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Canada ranks 86th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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.
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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.