Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 14.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Central African Republic, 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 Central African Republic stood at 14.6%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 35.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Central African Republic peaked at 14.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 1980.
That places Central African Republic 151st out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom 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 Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.9% | — |
| 1981 | 2.9% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 3.0% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 3.1% | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 3.3% | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 3.5% | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 3.6% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 3.9% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 4.1% | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 4.3% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 4.6% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 4.8% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 5.1% | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 5.3% | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 6.1% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 6.4% | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 6.7% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 7.3% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 8.3% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 9.0% | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 9.6% | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 9.9% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 10.2% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 10.5% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 10.8% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 11.2% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 11.5% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 11.9% | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 13.0% | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 13.4% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 13.8% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 14.2% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 14.6% | +2.9% |
Central African Republic compared with similar countries
- Central African Republic's 14.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.8%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Central African Republic's 14.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.0%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.0% | 4.1% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.8% | 6.4% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.0% | 9.6% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.8% | 13.0% | 14.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
- 148 Czechia 15.9% compare
- 149 Democratic Republic of Congo 15.1% compare
- 150 Cameroon 15.1% compare
- 152 Equatorial Guinea 14.6% compare
- 153 Philippines 14.6% compare
- 154 Cambodia 14.1% compare
More health data for Central African Republic
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.88 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 887.2 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 5,728 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 4.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0934 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 4.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Central African Republic?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Central African Republic was 14.6% 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 Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 14.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 1980.
- How does Central African Republic rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Central African Republic ranks 151st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Central African Republic 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.