Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Iran
Iran: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 32.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Iran, 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 Iran stood at 32.2%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Iran peaked at 32.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.7%, in 1980.
Iran ranks 61st 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 Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.7% | — |
| 1981 | 7.9% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 8.0% | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 8.2% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 8.3% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 8.5% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 8.7% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 9.0% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 9.2% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 9.5% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 9.8% | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 10.2% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 10.5% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 11.0% | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 11.5% | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 12.0% | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 12.5% | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 13.1% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 13.8% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 14.4% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 15.1% | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 15.9% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 16.6% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 17.4% | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 19.3% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 20.5% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 21.1% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 21.6% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 22.2% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 22.8% | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 25.7% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 27.4% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 28.2% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 29.1% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 29.9% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 30.6% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 31.4% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 32.2% | +2.6% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 32.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 32.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.2%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.5% | 7.7% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.9% | 9.8% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 15.1% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.7% | 21.6% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.6% | 29.1% | 32.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More health data for Iran
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.38 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.5627 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,361 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1,070 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.88 % 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 0.0311 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.95 % 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 Iran?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Iran was 32.2% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 32.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.7% in 1980.
- How does Iran rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Iran ranks 61st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.