Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Tanzania
Tanzania: Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese was 5.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Tanzania, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 5.3% 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 1.2% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Tanzania peaked at 5.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 1980.
That places Tanzania 195th 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.7% | — |
| 1981 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 2.8% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 2.9% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 2.9% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 3.2% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 3.3% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 3.7% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 4.1% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 4.4% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 4.4% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 4.5% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 4.5% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 4.6% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 4.6% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 4.7% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 4.8% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 4.9% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 5.2% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 5.3% | +1.2% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 5.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.1%, 37% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 5.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.0%, 44% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 3.8% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 4.5% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More health data for Tanzania
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.03 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7342 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 658.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 32,514 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 13 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0786 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Tanzania?
- Share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in Tanzania was 5.3% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 1980.
- How does Tanzania rank for share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese?
- Tanzania ranks 195th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.