Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 39.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in New Zealand, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in New Zealand is 39.8%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in New Zealand peaked at 39.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 1980.
New Zealand ranks 27th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 14.6% | — |
| 1981 | 15.2% | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 15.8% | +4.3% |
| 1983 | 16.5% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 17.2% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 17.9% | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 18.7% | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 19.5% | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 20.4% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 21.2% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 22.2% | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 23.1% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 24.1% | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 25.1% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 26.1% | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 27.1% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 28.1% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 29.2% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 30.2% | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 31.3% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 32.3% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 33.2% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 34.1% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 34.9% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 35.7% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 36.3% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 36.9% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 37.4% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 37.8% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 38.5% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 38.8% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 39.0% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 39.2% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 39.3% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 39.4% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 39.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 39.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 39.7% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 39.8% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 39.8% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 39.8% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 39.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 39.8% | -0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 39.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 39.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.5%, 1.3× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.7% | 14.6% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.6% | 22.2% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.7% | 32.3% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.3% | 38.5% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.8% | 39.8% | 39.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % 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 New Zealand?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in New Zealand was 39.8% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 39.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 1980.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- New Zealand ranks 27th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.