Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Italy
Italy: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 27.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Italy, 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 Italy stood at 27.8%.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Italy peaked at 34.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 24.4%, in 1980.
Italy ranks 91st 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 Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 24.4% | — |
| 1981 | 24.6% | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 24.9% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 25.1% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 25.4% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 25.7% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 26.1% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 26.4% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 26.7% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 27.0% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 27.4% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 27.7% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 28.0% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 28.4% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 29.4% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 29.9% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 30.5% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 31.0% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 31.5% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 32.0% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 32.5% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 32.9% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 33.3% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 33.6% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 33.8% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 34.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 34.0% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 34.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 33.9% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 33.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 33.5% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 33.1% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 32.8% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 32.3% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 31.8% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 31.4% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 30.9% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 30.4% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 30.0% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 29.6% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 29.1% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 28.7% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 28.2% | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 27.8% | -1.6% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 27.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 90% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Italy's 27.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 1.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.6% | 24.4% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.3% | 27.4% | 31.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.4% | 32.0% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 30.0% | 33.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.7% | 27.8% | 29.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More health data for Italy
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1206 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,408 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 80 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.23 % 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 0.0164 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.07 % 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 Italy?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Italy was 27.8% 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 34.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.4% in 1980.
- How does Italy rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Italy ranks 91st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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.