Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Portugal
Portugal: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 23.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Portugal, 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 Portugal stood at 23.8%.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 14.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Portugal peaked at 29.8% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1980.
That places Portugal 111th 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12.3% | — |
| 1981 | 12.9% | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 13.5% | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 14.2% | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 14.9% | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 15.6% | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 16.3% | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 17.1% | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 17.8% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 18.5% | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 19.2% | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 19.8% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 20.5% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 21.2% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 21.9% | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 22.7% | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 23.5% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 24.3% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 25.1% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 25.9% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 26.6% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 27.3% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 28.0% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 28.6% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 29.1% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 29.5% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 29.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 29.8% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 29.8% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 29.7% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 29.5% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 29.2% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 28.9% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 28.4% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 28.0% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 27.5% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 27.0% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 26.2% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 25.7% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 25.4% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 25.0% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 24.6% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 24.2% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 23.8% | -1.5% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 23.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 78% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 23.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 95% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.3% | 12.3% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.4% | 19.2% | 25.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.8% | 26.6% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 25.7% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.6% | 23.8% | 25.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More health data for Portugal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.56 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1616 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,112 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 38 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.39 % 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 0.0199 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.15 % 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 Portugal?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Portugal was 23.8% 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 29.8% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1980.
- How does Portugal rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Portugal ranks 111th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal 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.
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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.