Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Zambia
Zambia: Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard was 5.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Obesity among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +2 standard in Zambia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 5.8% for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.9% on the previous year and up 95.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Zambia peaked at 5.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.
That places Zambia 152nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.4% | — |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +4.5% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | +5.4% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +6.0% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 1.2% | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | +7.1% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 2.8% | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +6.4% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | +7.1% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | +7.1% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 5.4% | +7.0% |
| 2024 | 5.8% | +6.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.4% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 4.4% | 5.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Zambia?
- Obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard in Zambia was 5.8% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard?
- Zambia ranks 152nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +2 standard rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 95.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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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