Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 12.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 12.4% for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 40.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka peaked at 12.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1980.
Sri Lanka ranks 166th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.4% | — |
| 1981 | 1.4% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 2.1% | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | +6.2% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +6.3% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 3.0% | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | +6.4% |
| 1999 | 3.8% | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 4.4% | +6.7% |
| 2002 | 4.7% | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 5.9% | +6.0% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 7.0% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 7.3% | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 8.4% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 9.1% | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 9.5% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 9.9% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 10.3% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 10.6% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 11.0% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 11.3% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 11.7% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 12.0% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 12.4% | +3.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 12.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 41% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 12.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 11.9%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.2% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 4.1% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 7.3% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.7% | 11.0% | 12.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 163 Zambia 12.5% compare
- 164 Comoros 12.4% compare
- 165 Mozambique 12.4% compare
- 167 Benin 12.3% compare
- 168 Uzbekistan 12.2% compare
- 169 Sierra Leone 12.2% compare
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka was 12.4% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1980.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Sri Lanka ranks 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.