Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Samoa
Samoa: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 54.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Samoa, 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 Samoa stood at 54.3%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Samoa peaked at 54.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.7%, in 1980.
That places Samoa 7th 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 Samoa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 18.7% | — |
| 1981 | 19.4% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 20.2% | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 21.0% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 21.8% | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 22.6% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 23.5% | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 25.2% | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 26.0% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 26.9% | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 27.9% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 28.9% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 29.7% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 30.6% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 31.5% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 32.3% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 34.1% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 35.0% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 36.8% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 37.7% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 38.7% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 39.6% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 40.6% | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 41.5% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 42.4% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 43.3% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 44.1% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 44.9% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 45.6% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 46.3% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 46.9% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 47.6% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 48.2% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 48.8% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 49.4% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 50.0% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 50.6% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 51.3% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 52.0% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 52.8% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 53.5% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 54.3% | +1.4% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 54.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 1.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 54.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.5%, 1.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.3% | 18.7% | 26.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.0% | 26.9% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.1% | 35.9% | 44.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.8% | 44.9% | 50.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.8% | 51.3% | 54.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More health data for Samoa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 708.7 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 17 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.45 % 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 0.0591 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.5 % 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 Samoa?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Samoa was 54.3% 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 Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 54.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.7% in 1980.
- How does Samoa rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Samoa ranks 7th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Samoa 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.