Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 34.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malaysia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 34.5% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malaysia peaked at 34.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 1980.
That places Malaysia 51st 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.2% | — |
| 1981 | 4.5% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 4.7% | +6.3% |
| 1983 | 5.1% | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 5.4% | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 5.8% | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 6.2% | +7.0% |
| 1987 | 6.6% | +7.1% |
| 1988 | 7.1% | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 7.6% | +7.1% |
| 1990 | 8.1% | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 8.7% | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 9.3% | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 9.9% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 10.6% | +6.8% |
| 1995 | 11.3% | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 12.1% | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 12.9% | +6.5% |
| 1998 | 13.7% | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 15.4% | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 16.2% | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 17.1% | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 18.1% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 19.0% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 19.9% | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 20.8% | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 21.6% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 22.5% | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 23.3% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 24.1% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 24.9% | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 25.6% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 26.4% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 27.1% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 27.8% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 28.5% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 29.2% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 29.9% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 30.7% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 31.4% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 32.2% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 32.9% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 33.7% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 34.5% | +2.4% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 34.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 34.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.5%, 1.2× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.7% | 4.2% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.1% | 8.1% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.4% | 15.4% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.4% | 24.1% | 30.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.9% | 31.4% | 34.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 652 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 Malaysia?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malaysia was 34.5% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 34.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Malaysia ranks 51st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.