Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in South Africa
South Africa: Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 31.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
31.3%
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
59th
of 198 countries
All-time high
31.3%
in 2024
All-time low
9.4%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in South Africa is 31.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in South Africa peaked at 31.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.4%, in 1980.
South Africa ranks 59th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.4% | — |
| 1981 | 9.8% | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 10.1% | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 10.5% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 10.9% | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 12.2% | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 12.7% | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 13.6% | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 14.2% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 14.8% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 15.4% | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 16.0% | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 16.9% | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 17.8% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 18.5% | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 19.2% | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 19.8% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 20.5% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 21.1% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 21.6% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 22.7% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 23.2% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 23.7% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 25.1% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 25.5% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 25.8% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 26.2% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 26.6% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 26.9% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 27.2% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 27.7% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 28.2% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 28.6% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 29.1% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 29.5% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 30.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 30.4% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 30.9% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 31.3% | +1.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 31.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28.6%, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 31.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.6%, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.2% | 9.4% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.6% | 13.6% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 20.5% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.2% | 25.5% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 29.5% | 31.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % 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 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % 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 South Africa?
- Obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in South Africa was 31.3% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.4% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- South Africa ranks 59th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).