Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Guatemala
Guatemala: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 23.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Guatemala, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Guatemala is 23.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Guatemala peaked at 23.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 1980.
Guatemala ranks 112th 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 Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.6% | — |
| 1981 | 9.9% | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 10.2% | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 10.6% | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 10.9% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 12.1% | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 12.6% | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 13.0% | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 13.5% | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 14.0% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 14.5% | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 15.0% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 15.4% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 15.9% | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 16.4% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 16.8% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 17.2% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 17.7% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 18.0% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 18.4% | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 18.7% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 19.3% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 19.5% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 19.8% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 20.0% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 20.2% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 20.4% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 20.6% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 20.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 21.0% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 21.3% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 21.5% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 21.7% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 22.0% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 22.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 22.4% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 22.6% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 22.8% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 23.0% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 23.1% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 23.3% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 23.5% | +0.8% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 23.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 79% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 23.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.7%, 64% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.2% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.6% | 13.5% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.3% | 18.0% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.6% | 20.6% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.1% | 22.8% | 23.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More health data for Guatemala
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.92 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7968 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,202 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1,022 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4059 % 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 0.0487 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.3488 % 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 Guatemala?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Guatemala was 23.5% 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 1980.
- How does Guatemala rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Guatemala ranks 112th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.