Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in New Zealand
New Zealand: Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 17.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
17.6%
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
42nd
of 198 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 2024
All-time low
1.8%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in New Zealand, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 17.6% 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 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in New Zealand peaked at 17.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1980.
That places New Zealand 42nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.8% | — |
| 1981 | 2.0% | +9.8% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | +9.9% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | +9.9% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | +9.9% |
| 1985 | 2.9% | +9.9% |
| 1986 | 3.2% | +9.9% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | +9.8% |
| 1988 | 3.9% | +9.7% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | +9.6% |
| 1990 | 4.7% | +9.4% |
| 1991 | 5.1% | +9.3% |
| 1992 | 5.5% | +9.0% |
| 1993 | 6.0% | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 6.5% | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 7.1% | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 7.6% | +8.0% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | +7.7% |
| 1998 | 8.8% | +7.3% |
| 1999 | 9.4% | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 10.0% | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 10.6% | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 11.2% | +5.2% |
| 2003 | 11.7% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 12.2% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 12.6% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 13.0% | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 13.4% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 13.7% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 14.0% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 14.3% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 14.5% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 14.7% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 14.9% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 15.2% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 15.6% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 16.1% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 16.3% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 16.8% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 17.1% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 17.3% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 17.6% | +1.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 17.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.5%, 1.1× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 17.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16.3%, 1.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.9% | 1.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.9% | 4.7% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.2% | 10.0% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 14.3% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.1% | 16.6% | 17.6% | 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 children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in New Zealand?
- Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in New Zealand was 17.6% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1980.
- How does New Zealand rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
- New Zealand ranks 42nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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).