Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 12.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
12.1%
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
100th
of 198 countries
All-time high
12.1%
in 2024
All-time low
0.7%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1980–2024

02.557.51012.51980200220241980: 0.7241981: 0.7691982: 0.821983: 0.8771984: 0.9411985: 11986: 1.11987: 1.21988: 1.31989: 1.41990: 1.51991: 1.61992: 1.81993: 1.91994: 2.11995: 2.31996: 2.51997: 2.71998: 2.91999: 3.12000: 3.32001: 3.62002: 3.92003: 4.22004: 4.42005: 4.72006: 52007: 5.42008: 5.72009: 62010: 6.32011: 6.62012: 6.92013: 7.32014: 7.62015: 82016: 8.42017: 8.82018: 9.22019: 9.62020: 10.12021: 10.62022: 11.12023: 11.52024: 12.1

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of stood at 12.1%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

That represents a change of up 4.4% on the previous year and up 58.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of peaked at 12.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1980.

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 100th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, year by year

Annual values for Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard deviations above the median (crude estimate) (%) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 0.7%
1981 0.8% +6.3%
1982 0.8% +6.6%
1983 0.9% +7.0%
1984 0.9% +7.3%
1985 1.0% +7.6%
1986 1.1% +8.1%
1987 1.2% +8.3%
1988 1.3% +8.5%
1989 1.4% +8.6%
1990 1.5% +8.6%
1991 1.6% +8.6%
1992 1.8% +8.5%
1993 1.9% +8.4%
1994 2.1% +8.3%
1995 2.3% +8.2%
1996 2.5% +8.2%
1997 2.7% +8.1%
1998 2.9% +8.0%
1999 3.1% +8.0%
2000 3.3% +7.8%
2001 3.6% +7.7%
2002 3.9% +7.5%
2003 4.2% +7.3%
2004 4.4% +7.0%
2005 4.7% +6.7%
2006 5.0% +6.4%
2007 5.4% +6.1%
2008 5.7% +5.9%
2009 6.0% +5.6%
2010 6.3% +5.3%
2011 6.6% +5.1%
2012 6.9% +4.8%
2013 7.3% +4.7%
2014 7.6% +4.7%
2015 8.0% +4.7%
2016 8.4% +4.8%
2017 8.8% +4.8%
2018 9.2% +4.9%
2019 9.6% +4.9%
2020 10.1% +4.8%
2021 10.6% +4.7%
2022 11.1% +4.6%
2023 11.5% +4.5%
2024 12.1% +4.4%

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of compared with similar countries

  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of's 12.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.0%, 3.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of's 12.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16.3%, 74% of the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.0% 0.7% 1.4% 10
1990s 2.2% 1.5% 3.1% 10
2000s 4.6% 3.3% 6.0% 10
2010s 7.9% 6.3% 9.6% 10
2020s 11.1% 10.1% 12.1% 5

Countries ranked near Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

  1. 97 Viet Nam 12.5% compare
  2. 98 Fiji 12.3% compare
  3. 99 Belarus 12.2% compare
  4. 101 Finland 12.0% compare
  5. 102 Kiribati 12.0% compare
  6. 103 Portugal 11.9% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

All data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of →

Frequently asked questions

What is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of was 12.1% 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 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 2024.
What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1980.
How does Korea, Democratic People's Republic of rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 100th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
Over the last ten years it is up 58.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 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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Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/obesity-among-children-and-adolescents-bmi-for-age-2-standard-deviations-above-the-median/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard deviations above the median (crude estimate) (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
211 places, 9,495 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed