Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Norway
Norway: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 22.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Norway, 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 Norway is 22.3%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Norway peaked at 22.9% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 1980.
That places Norway 116th 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 Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.5% | — |
| 1981 | 13.8% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 14.2% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 14.7% | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 15.1% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 15.5% | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 16.0% | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 16.5% | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 17.0% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 17.4% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 17.9% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 18.4% | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 18.9% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 19.3% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 19.8% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 20.2% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 20.6% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 21.0% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 21.4% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 21.8% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 22.4% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 22.6% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 22.7% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 22.8% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 22.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 22.8% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 22.8% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 22.8% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 22.6% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 22.5% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 22.5% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 22.4% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 22.4% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 22.4% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 22.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 22.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 22.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 22.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 22.4% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 22.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 22.3% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 22.3% | -0.2% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 22.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 73% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Norway's 22.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 89% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.4% | 13.5% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.9% | 17.9% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.7% | 22.1% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.5% | 22.4% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.3% | 22.3% | 22.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 113 Indonesia 23.3% compare
- 114 Mongolia 23.1% compare
- 115 Belarus 22.9% compare
- 117 South Africa 21.8% compare
- 118 Afghanistan 21.8% compare
- 119 North Korea 21.7% compare
More health data for Norway
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -7.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.337 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,212 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.217 % 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 0.0238 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.0617 % 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 Norway?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Norway was 22.3% 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 2006.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 1980.
- How does Norway rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Norway ranks 116th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway 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.