Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Netherlands
Netherlands: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 17.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Netherlands, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 17.5% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Netherlands peaked at 17.8% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 1980.
Netherlands ranks 137th 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 Netherlands, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 11.8% | — |
| 1981 | 12.0% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 12.3% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 12.5% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 12.8% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 13.0% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 13.3% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 13.6% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 14.0% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 14.3% | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 14.7% | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 15.0% | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 15.4% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 15.7% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 16.0% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 16.2% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 16.5% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 16.7% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 17.0% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 17.2% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 17.4% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 17.5% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 17.6% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 17.7% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 17.8% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 17.8% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 17.8% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 17.8% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 17.8% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 17.8% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 17.7% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 17.6% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 17.5% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 17.5% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 17.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 17.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 17.4% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 17.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 17.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 17.5% | +0.1% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 17.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 57% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 17.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 70% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.0% | 11.8% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 14.7% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.7% | 17.4% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.6% | 17.4% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 17.4% | 17.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More health data for Netherlands
- 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 0.1866 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,235 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 0.4989 % 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 0.0239 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5005 % 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 Netherlands?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Netherlands was 17.5% 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 1980.
- How does Netherlands rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Netherlands ranks 137th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.