Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Qatar
Qatar: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 45.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Qatar, 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 Qatar stood at 45.3%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Qatar peaked at 45.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.9%, in 1980.
That places Qatar 14th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Qatar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 19.9% | — |
| 1981 | 20.3% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 20.7% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 21.1% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 21.5% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 22.0% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 22.4% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 23.0% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 23.5% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 24.1% | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 24.7% | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 25.3% | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 25.8% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 26.5% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 27.1% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 27.8% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 28.5% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 29.4% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 30.2% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 31.1% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 32.0% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 32.8% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 33.6% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 34.5% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 35.2% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 35.9% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 36.7% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 37.4% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 38.6% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 39.1% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 39.8% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 40.3% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 40.8% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 41.4% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 41.9% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.6% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 43.0% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 43.3% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 43.7% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 44.1% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 44.5% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 44.9% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 45.3% | +0.8% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's 45.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 1.5× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Qatar's 45.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.2%, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.9% | 19.9% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.6% | 24.7% | 31.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.5% | 32.0% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.5% | 39.1% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.5% | 43.7% | 45.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
- 11 Palau 48.3% compare
- 12 French Polynesia 46.6% compare
- 13 Kuwait 46.5% compare
- 15 Brunei 44.9% compare
- 16 United Arab Emirates 44.2% compare
- 17 Antigua and Barbuda 44.0% compare
More health data for Qatar
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 2.43 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 185.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 136 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.26 % 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 0.0253 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 3.19 % 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 Qatar?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Qatar was 45.3% 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 Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 45.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.9% in 1980.
- How does Qatar rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Qatar ranks 14th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Qatar 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.