Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Pakistan
Pakistan: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 18.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Pakistan, 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 Pakistan stood at 18.9%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 86.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Pakistan peaked at 18.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1980.
Pakistan ranks 129th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.6% | — |
| 1981 | 1.6% | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 1.8% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 1.9% | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | +4.7% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 3.0% | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +5.7% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 4.4% | +6.7% |
| 2002 | 4.7% | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 5.7% | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 6.1% | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 6.9% | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 7.4% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 8.4% | +6.6% |
| 2012 | 8.9% | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 9.5% | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 10.2% | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 10.9% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 11.6% | +6.8% |
| 2017 | 12.4% | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 13.2% | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 14.1% | +6.6% |
| 2020 | 15.0% | +6.4% |
| 2021 | 15.9% | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 16.9% | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 17.9% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 18.9% | +5.8% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 18.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.1%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 18.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.2%, 59% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.4% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.6% | 4.1% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.7% | 7.9% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 15.0% | 18.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 126 Kazakhstan 20.2% compare
- 127 Solomon Islands 19.9% compare
- 128 Moldova 19.6% compare
- 130 Mauritania 18.8% compare
- 131 Eswatini 18.6% compare
- 132 Yemen 18.5% compare
More health data for Pakistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8219 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 944.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 55,286 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 335 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5028 % 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 0.0616 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.4109 % 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 Pakistan?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Pakistan was 18.9% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 18.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1980.
- How does Pakistan rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Pakistan ranks 129th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.