Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 34.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
34.7%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
43rd
of 198 countries
All-time high
34.7%
in 2024
All-time low
7.5%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand stood at 34.7%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand peaked at 34.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1980.
That places New Zealand 43rd out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.5% | — |
| 1981 | 7.9% | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 8.4% | +5.8% |
| 1983 | 8.9% | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 9.4% | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 10.0% | +6.0% |
| 1986 | 10.6% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 11.2% | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 11.8% | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 12.5% | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 13.2% | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 14.0% | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 14.7% | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 15.6% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 16.4% | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 17.3% | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 18.1% | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 19.1% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 20.0% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 20.9% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 21.8% | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 22.7% | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 23.6% | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 24.4% | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 25.2% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 25.9% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 26.7% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 27.4% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 28.0% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 28.6% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 29.1% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 29.6% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 30.1% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 30.5% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 30.9% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 31.3% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 31.7% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 32.1% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 32.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 32.9% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 33.2% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 33.6% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 34.0% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 34.4% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 34.7% | +1.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 34.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 1.2× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 34.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.6%, 1.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.8% | 7.5% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.9% | 13.2% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.4% | 21.8% | 28.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.1% | 29.1% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.0% | 33.2% | 34.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % 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 obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand?
- Obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in New Zealand was 34.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 34.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1980.
- How does New Zealand rank for obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- New Zealand ranks 43rd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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