Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in South Africa
South Africa: Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 7.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
7.7%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
131st
of 198 countries
All-time high
7.7%
in 2024
All-time low
0.2%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in South Africa stood at 7.7%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in South Africa peaked at 7.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1980.
That places South Africa 131st out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.2% | — |
| 1981 | 0.3% | +9.2% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +9.8% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | +10.4% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +11.0% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +11.5% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | +12.0% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +12.4% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +12.8% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | +13.1% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | +13.4% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | +13.6% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | +13.8% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +14.0% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +14.1% |
| 1995 | 1.3% | +14.3% |
| 1996 | 1.5% | +14.5% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | +14.7% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | +14.8% |
| 1999 | 2.3% | +14.8% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | +14.7% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | +14.5% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +14.1% |
| 2003 | 3.9% | +13.4% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | +12.5% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | +11.3% |
| 2006 | 5.4% | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | +8.6% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 6.6% | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 7.2% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 7.3% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 7.3% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 7.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 7.4% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 7.5% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 7.5% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 7.6% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 7.6% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 7.7% | +0.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 7.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.9%, 52% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 7.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.7%, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.7% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 2.6% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 7.5% | 7.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 128 Luxembourg 8.4% compare
- 129 Ireland 8.4% compare
- 130 Cambodia 8.1% compare
- 132 Mauritania 7.6% compare
- 133 Côte d'Ivoire 7.4% compare
- 134 Republic of Moldova 7.4% compare
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 children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in South Africa?
- Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in South Africa was 7.7% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
- South Africa ranks 131st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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).