Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Spain
Spain: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 31.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Spain, 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 Spain is 31.1%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Spain peaked at 32.8% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 20.7%, in 1980.
That places Spain 66th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 20.7% | — |
| 1981 | 21.1% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 21.5% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 22.0% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 22.4% | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 23.4% | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 23.9% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 24.4% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 24.8% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 25.2% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 25.6% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 26.0% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 26.4% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 26.8% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 27.2% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 27.7% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 28.2% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 28.8% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 29.4% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 29.9% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 30.4% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 30.9% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 31.3% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 31.7% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 32.0% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 32.2% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 32.4% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 32.6% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 32.8% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 32.8% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 32.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 32.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 32.7% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 32.6% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 32.4% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 32.3% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 32.2% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 32.0% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 31.9% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 31.7% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 31.5% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 31.3% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 31.1% | -0.8% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 31.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 1.0× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Spain's 31.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.1%, 1.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.7% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.1% | 25.2% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.6% | 29.9% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.5% | 32.0% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.5% | 31.1% | 31.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More health data for Spain
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.82 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2629 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,290 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 108 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.0396 % 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 0.0173 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.0227 % 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 Spain?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Spain was 31.1% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 32.8% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.7% in 1980.
- How does Spain rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Spain ranks 66th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.