Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Panama
Panama: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 38.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Panama, 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 Panama is 38.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Panama peaked at 38.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 1980.
Panama ranks 32nd 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 Panama, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 10.7% | — |
| 1981 | 11.1% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 11.5% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 11.9% | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 12.3% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 12.8% | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 13.2% | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 13.7% | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 14.3% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 14.8% | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 16.0% | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 16.7% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 17.3% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 17.9% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 18.6% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 19.3% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 19.9% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 20.6% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 21.2% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 21.9% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 22.5% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 23.1% | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 23.7% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 24.4% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 25.0% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 25.6% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 26.2% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 26.9% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 28.2% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 28.8% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 29.5% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 30.3% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 31.0% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 31.7% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 32.5% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 33.3% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 34.0% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 34.8% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 35.5% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 36.3% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 37.0% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 37.7% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 38.4% | +1.9% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 38.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Panama's 38.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.7%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.6% | 10.7% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.3% | 15.4% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.7% | 21.9% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.4% | 28.2% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.0% | 35.5% | 38.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More health data for Panama
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5994 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,074 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 101 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.2522 % 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 0.0378 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.3451 % 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 Panama?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Panama was 38.4% 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 38.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 1980.
- How does Panama rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Panama ranks 32nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama 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.