Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in South Sudan
South Sudan: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 11.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in South Sudan, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Sudan recorded 11.9% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in South Sudan peaked at 11.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 1980.
That places South Sudan 170th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom 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 South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.2% | — |
| 1981 | 3.3% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 3.3% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 3.4% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 3.5% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 3.5% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 3.6% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 3.7% | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 4.1% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.2% | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 4.3% | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 4.5% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 4.8% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 4.9% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 5.1% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 5.9% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 6.0% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 7.1% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 7.3% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 7.7% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 8.6% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 8.8% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 9.1% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 9.7% | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 10.4% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 10.7% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 11.1% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 11.5% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 11.9% | +3.5% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 11.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.8%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 11.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.0%, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.5% | 3.2% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 4.1% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.5% | 5.7% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 7.7% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.1% | 10.4% | 11.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
- 167 Benin 12.3% compare
- 168 Uzbekistan 12.2% compare
- 169 Sierra Leone 12.2% compare
- 171 Tajikistan 11.8% compare
- 172 India 11.5% compare
- 173 Cape Verde 11.5% compare
More health data for South Sudan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,347 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,029 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 57 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0637 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in South Sudan?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in South Sudan was 11.9% 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 South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 11.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 1980.
- How does South Sudan rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- South Sudan ranks 170th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan 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.