Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Romania
Romania: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 24.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Romania, 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 Romania stood at 24.1%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Romania peaked at 24.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 1980.
Romania ranks 109th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Romania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.4% | — |
| 1981 | 6.5% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 6.5% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 6.5% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 6.6% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 6.7% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 6.8% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 6.9% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 7.2% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 7.4% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 7.5% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 7.8% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 8.3% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 8.6% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 9.3% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 9.7% | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 10.2% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 11.7% | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 12.3% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 13.1% | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 13.9% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 14.7% | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 15.6% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 16.4% | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 17.1% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 17.7% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 19.0% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 20.7% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 21.2% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 21.8% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 22.3% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 22.7% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 23.2% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 23.6% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 24.1% | +2.0% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 24.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 79% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Romania's 24.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 96% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.7% | 6.4% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.1% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.3% | 9.7% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 16.4% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.2% | 22.3% | 24.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More health data for Romania
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.59 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0845 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,419 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 113 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.62 % 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 0.0235 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.52 % 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 Romania?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Romania was 24.1% 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 Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 24.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 1980.
- How does Romania rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Romania ranks 109th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Romania 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.