Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 39.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Saudi Arabia, 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 Saudi Arabia is 39.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Saudi Arabia peaked at 39.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.0%, in 1985.
Saudi Arabia ranks 28th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 14.2% | — |
| 1981 | 14.1% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 14.0% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 14.0% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 14.0% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 14.0% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 14.0% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 14.0% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 14.1% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 14.2% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 14.4% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 14.6% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 14.9% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 15.2% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 15.6% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 16.1% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 16.7% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 17.3% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 18.0% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 19.6% | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 20.6% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 21.6% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 22.6% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 23.6% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 24.6% | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 25.6% | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 26.5% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 27.3% | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 28.1% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 28.9% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 29.6% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 30.3% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 31.0% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 31.7% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 32.5% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 33.3% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 34.1% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 34.9% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 35.7% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 36.5% | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 37.3% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 38.1% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 38.9% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 39.7% | +2.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 39.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 39.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.2%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.1% | 14.0% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.2% | 14.4% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.0% | 19.6% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.2% | 28.9% | 35.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.1% | 36.5% | 39.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % 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 Saudi Arabia?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Saudi Arabia was 39.7% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 39.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.0% in 1985.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 28th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.