Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Americas (WHO region)
Americas (WHO region): Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 19.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
19.7%
Change on year
up 2.0%
Rank
1st
of 11 groups
All-time high
19.7%
in 2024
All-time low
3.2%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Americas (WHO region), 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Americas (WHO region) recorded 19.7% for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Americas (WHO region) peaked at 19.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 1980.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Americas (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.2% | — |
| 1981 | 3.3% | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 3.5% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 4.0% | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 4.3% | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 4.6% | +7.0% |
| 1987 | 4.9% | +6.9% |
| 1988 | 5.3% | +6.8% |
| 1989 | 5.6% | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 6.0% | +6.6% |
| 1991 | 6.4% | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 6.8% | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 7.2% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 7.6% | +6.0% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 8.5% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 9.0% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 9.4% | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 9.9% | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 10.3% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 10.7% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 11.1% | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 11.5% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 12.8% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 13.2% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 13.6% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 14.0% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 14.3% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 14.7% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 15.0% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 15.4% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 15.7% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 16.9% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 17.3% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 17.7% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 18.1% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 18.5% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 18.9% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 19.3% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.3% | 3.2% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.9% | 6.0% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.1% | 10.3% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.9% | 14.3% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.9% | 18.1% | 19.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Americas (WHO region)
More health data for Americas (WHO region)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 12,380 (2025)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 23 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 72 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 385 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 24,640 (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, annual growth rate -2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of neonatal deaths, annual growth rate -3.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 22.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -20.67 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Americas (WHO region)?
- Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Americas (WHO region) was 19.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in Americas (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in Americas (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 1980.
- How does Americas (WHO region) rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
- Americas (WHO region) ranks 1st out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in Americas (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Americas (WHO region) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard deviations above the median (crude estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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