Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region)
Africa (WHO region): Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) was 12.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
12.7%
Change on year
up 3.0%
Rank
7th
of 11 groups
All-time high
12.7%
in 2024
All-time low
2.3%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region), 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Africa (WHO region) recorded 12.7% for obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) 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 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region) peaked at 12.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 1980.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.3% | — |
| 1981 | 2.4% | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 2.9% | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 3.3% | +4.8% |
| 1989 | 3.5% | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 3.6% | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 3.8% | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 4.0% | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 4.2% | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 4.6% | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 4.8% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 5.1% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 5.6% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 5.8% | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 6.1% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 6.7% | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 7.0% | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 9.0% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 9.3% | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 9.5% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 10.1% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 10.4% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 10.7% | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 11.0% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 11.3% | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 11.6% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 12.0% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 12.3% | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 12.7% | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.3% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.5% | 3.6% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.1% | 5.8% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.7% | 8.6% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.0% | 11.3% | 12.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa (WHO region)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region)?
- Obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) in Africa (WHO region) was 12.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 12.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 1980.
- How does Africa (WHO region) rank for obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate)?
- Africa (WHO region) ranks 7th out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) rising or falling in Africa (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa (WHO region) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (age-standardized estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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