Obesity in men vs. women in Belgium
Belgium: Obesity in men vs. women was 19.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Obesity in men vs. women in Belgium, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for obesity in men vs. women in Belgium is 19.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in Belgium peaked at 19.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 1980.
That places Belgium 99th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Obesity in men vs. women in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.4% | — |
| 1981 | 8.6% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 8.8% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 9.1% | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 9.3% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 9.5% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 9.8% | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 10.3% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 10.5% | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 10.8% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 11.1% | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 11.4% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 11.7% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 12.0% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 12.7% | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 13.0% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 13.4% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 13.8% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 16.5% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 16.8% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 17.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 17.5% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 17.6% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 17.7% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 17.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 18.0% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 18.1% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 18.6% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 18.8% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 19.0% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 19.2% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 19.5% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.4% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.2% | 10.8% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.9% | 14.2% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.0% | 17.4% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.8% | 19.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,160 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 59 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 3.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 4.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0192 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity in men vs. women in Belgium?
- Obesity in men vs. women in Belgium was 19.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 1980.
- How does Belgium rank for obesity in men vs. women?
- Belgium ranks 99th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Obesity in men vs. women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) equal to, or greater than, 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared.