Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 11.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
11.5%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
107th
of 198 countries
All-time high
11.5%
in 2024
All-time low
1.6%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 11.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 11.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1980.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 107th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.6% | — |
| 1981 | 1.8% | +12.8% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | +12.5% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | +12.3% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | +11.9% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | +11.6% |
| 1986 | 3.1% | +11.2% |
| 1987 | 3.4% | +10.8% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | +10.3% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | +9.9% |
| 1990 | 4.5% | +9.4% |
| 1991 | 4.9% | +9.0% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 5.8% | +8.0% |
| 1994 | 6.2% | +7.6% |
| 1995 | 6.7% | +7.2% |
| 1996 | 7.1% | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 7.6% | +6.5% |
| 1998 | 8.1% | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 8.5% | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 8.9% | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 9.7% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 10.0% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 10.3% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 10.4% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 10.6% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 10.7% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 10.7% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 10.7% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 10.7% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 10.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 10.7% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 10.7% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 10.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 10.8% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 10.9% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 11.0% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 11.2% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 11.3% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 11.5% | +0.8% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 11.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 15.5%, 74% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 11.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.9%, 96% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.7% | 1.6% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.5% | 4.5% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.1% | 8.9% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.8% | 10.7% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.3% | 11.1% | 11.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % 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 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 11.5% 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 107th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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).