Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in North Korea
North Korea: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 21.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in North Korea, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 21.7% 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 4.0% on the previous year and up 52.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in North Korea peaked at 21.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1980.
That places North Korea 119th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.4% | — |
| 1981 | 2.5% | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 2.7% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | +4.4% |
| 1986 | 3.1% | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 3.4% | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 3.6% | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 3.9% | +6.3% |
| 1991 | 4.1% | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | +6.8% |
| 1993 | 4.7% | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 5.0% | +6.5% |
| 1995 | 5.3% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 5.7% | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 6.4% | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 6.7% | +5.9% |
| 2000 | 7.1% | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 7.6% | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 8.0% | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 8.9% | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 9.4% | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 9.9% | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 10.9% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 11.5% | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 13.1% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 13.7% | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 14.3% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 14.9% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 15.5% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 16.2% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 17.7% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 18.4% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 19.2% | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 20.1% | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 20.9% | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 21.7% | +4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.0% | 2.4% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.2% | 3.9% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.2% | 7.1% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.7% | 12.0% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.1% | 18.4% | 21.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 116 Norway 22.3% compare
- 117 South Africa 21.8% compare
- 118 Afghanistan 21.8% compare
- 120 Switzerland 21.7% compare
- 121 Lithuania 21.6% compare
- 122 Belgium 21.1% compare
More health data for North Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 767 deaths (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,462 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 16, male, interpolated 166,971 (2025)
- Age population, age 18, female, interpolated 159,845 (2025)
- Age population, age 17, male, interpolated 168,398 (2025)
- Age population, age 17, female, interpolated 160,530 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in North Korea?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in North Korea was 21.7% 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 21.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1980.
- How does North Korea rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- North Korea ranks 119th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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.