Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Syria
Syria: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 33.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Syria, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Syria recorded 33.6% 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 1.2% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Syria peaked at 33.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 15.1%, in 1980.
That places Syria 54th 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 Syria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15.1% | — |
| 1981 | 15.3% | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 15.4% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 15.6% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 15.7% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 15.9% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 16.2% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 16.4% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 16.6% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 16.9% | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 17.2% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 17.5% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 17.8% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 18.2% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 18.6% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 19.0% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 19.4% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 19.9% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 20.5% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 21.6% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 22.8% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 23.4% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 23.9% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 24.5% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 25.0% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 26.0% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 26.5% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 26.9% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 27.4% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 27.9% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 28.4% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 28.9% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 29.4% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 29.9% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 30.4% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 30.9% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 31.4% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 31.9% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 32.4% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 32.9% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 33.3% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 33.6% | +1.2% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 33.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.8%, 3.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 33.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 32.2%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.9% | 15.1% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.9% | 17.2% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.1% | 21.6% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.2% | 26.9% | 31.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.8% | 31.9% | 33.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More health data for Syria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8632 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,122 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1,491 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 7.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0503 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 7.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Syria?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Syria was 33.6% 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 Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 33.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.1% in 1980.
- How does Syria rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Syria ranks 54th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria 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.