Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Jamaica
Jamaica: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 30.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Jamaica, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 30.0% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Jamaica peaked at 30.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 1980.
Jamaica ranks 74th 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 Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.0% | — |
| 1981 | 8.2% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 8.5% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 8.7% | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 9.0% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 9.3% | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 9.6% | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 10.3% | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 10.7% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 11.0% | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 11.4% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 11.9% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 12.3% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 12.8% | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 13.2% | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 13.7% | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 14.7% | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 15.2% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 15.7% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 16.3% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 17.5% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 19.4% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 20.0% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 20.7% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 21.3% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 21.8% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 22.4% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 23.0% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 23.6% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 25.4% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 26.0% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 26.7% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 27.2% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 27.8% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 28.4% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 28.9% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 29.5% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 30.0% | +1.9% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 30.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 30.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.7%, 82% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.2% | 8.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.1% | 11.0% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.5% | 15.7% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 21.8% | 27.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.9% | 27.8% | 30.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More health data for Jamaica
- 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 -0.3325 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,308 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 -1.64 % 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 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.6 % 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 Jamaica?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Jamaica was 30.0% 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 1980.
- How does Jamaica rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Jamaica ranks 74th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.