Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malta
Malta: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 29.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malta, 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 Malta stood at 29.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malta peaked at 29.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 1980.
That places Malta 78th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Malta, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 17.2% | — |
| 1981 | 17.6% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 18.1% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 18.6% | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 19.1% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 20.0% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 20.5% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 20.9% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 21.4% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 21.8% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 22.2% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 22.6% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 23.0% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 23.5% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 23.9% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 24.5% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 25.0% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 25.5% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 26.0% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 26.4% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 26.9% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 27.4% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 27.8% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 28.2% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 28.5% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 28.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 28.8% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 29.0% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 29.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 29.1% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 29.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 29.1% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 29.1% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 29.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 29.2% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 29.3% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 29.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 29.5% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 29.6% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 29.6% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 29.7% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 29.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 29.6% | -0.2% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 29.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 96% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Malta's 29.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.2%, 92% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.3% | 17.2% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.8% | 21.8% | 26.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.1% | 26.4% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.2% | 29.1% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.6% | 29.6% | 29.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More health data for Malta
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,737 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.1693 % 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 0.0194 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1495 % 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 Malta?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Malta was 29.6% 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 1980.
- How does Malta rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Malta ranks 78th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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.