Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Denmark
Denmark: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 17.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Denmark, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Denmark recorded 17.4% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Denmark peaked at 22.2% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 1980.
Denmark ranks 138th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Denmark, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.7% | — |
| 1981 | 9.3% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 9.8% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 10.5% | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 11.1% | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | +6.2% |
| 1986 | 12.5% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 13.2% | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 13.9% | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 14.6% | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 15.3% | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 15.9% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 16.6% | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 17.2% | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 17.9% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 18.5% | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 19.1% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 19.7% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 20.2% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 20.7% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 21.1% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 21.5% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 21.8% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 22.0% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 22.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 22.2% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 22.1% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 21.6% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 21.3% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 21.1% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 20.8% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 20.5% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 20.2% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 20.0% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 19.7% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 19.4% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 19.1% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 18.8% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 18.4% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 18.1% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 17.7% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 17.4% | -1.9% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 17.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 57% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 17.4% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 69% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.5% | 8.7% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.1% | 15.3% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.9% | 21.1% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.4% | 19.1% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.1% | 17.4% | 18.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More health data for Denmark
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1019 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,179 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 31 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4524 % 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 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.4338 % 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 Denmark?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Denmark was 17.4% 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 Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 22.2% in 2005.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 1980.
- How does Denmark rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Denmark ranks 138th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Denmark 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.