Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Malaysia
Malaysia: Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 18.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
18.5%
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
37th
of 198 countries
All-time high
18.5%
in 2024
All-time low
1.2%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Malaysia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 18.5% 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 3.1% on the previous year and up 39.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Malaysia peaked at 18.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1980.
Malaysia ranks 37th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.2% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +8.4% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | +8.7% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +9.0% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | +9.3% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | +9.6% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | +9.9% |
| 1987 | 2.2% | +10.1% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | +10.1% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +9.9% |
| 1991 | 3.2% | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | +9.6% |
| 1993 | 3.8% | +9.3% |
| 1994 | 4.1% | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 4.5% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 4.9% | +8.7% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | +8.3% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 6.7% | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 7.2% | +7.5% |
| 2002 | 7.7% | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 9.3% | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 9.8% | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 10.3% | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 10.7% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 11.2% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 12.1% | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 12.5% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 12.9% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 14.2% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 14.7% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 15.2% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 15.8% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 16.9% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 18.0% | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 18.5% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.4% | 2.9% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.0% | 6.7% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.6% | 11.6% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 16.3% | 18.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 652 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Malaysia?
- Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Malaysia was 18.5% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
- Malaysia ranks 37th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).