Obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Obesity in men vs. women was 23.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
23.3%
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
77th
of 199 countries
All-time high
23.3%
in 2024
All-time low
7.9%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria, 1980–2024

101520251980200220241980: 7.9 %1981: 8.1 %1982: 8.3 %1983: 8.6 %1984: 8.8 %1985: 9 %1986: 9.3 %1987: 9.5 %1988: 9.7 %1989: 10 %1990: 10.2 %1991: 10.4 %1992: 10.7 %1993: 10.9 %1994: 11.2 %1995: 11.5 %1996: 11.9 %1997: 12.2 %1998: 12.6 %1999: 13.1 %2000: 13.5 %2001: 14 %2002: 14.5 %2003: 15 %2004: 15.5 %2005: 15.9 %2006: 16.4 %2007: 16.9 %2008: 17.4 %2009: 17.9 %2010: 18.3 %2011: 18.7 %2012: 19.1 %2013: 19.5 %2014: 19.9 %2015: 20.2 %2016: 20.6 %2017: 20.9 %2018: 21.2 %2019: 21.5 %2020: 21.8 %2021: 22.2 %2022: 22.5 %2023: 22.9 %2024: 23.3 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Bulgaria recorded 23.3% for obesity in men vs. women in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria peaked at 23.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 1980.

That places Bulgaria 77th 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 Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria, 1980 to 2024.
Year % Change
1980 7.9%
1981 8.1% +2.8%
1982 8.3% +2.8%
1983 8.6% +2.8%
1984 8.8% +2.8%
1985 9.0% +2.7%
1986 9.3% +2.6%
1987 9.5% +2.6%
1988 9.7% +2.5%
1989 10.0% +2.4%
1990 10.2% +2.3%
1991 10.4% +2.3%
1992 10.7% +2.4%
1993 10.9% +2.5%
1994 11.2% +2.6%
1995 11.5% +2.8%
1996 11.9% +2.9%
1997 12.2% +3.1%
1998 12.6% +3.3%
1999 13.1% +3.4%
2000 13.5% +3.5%
2001 14.0% +3.5%
2002 14.5% +3.4%
2003 15.0% +3.3%
2004 15.5% +3.2%
2005 15.9% +3.1%
2006 16.4% +3.1%
2007 16.9% +3.0%
2008 17.4% +2.8%
2009 17.9% +2.7%
2010 18.3% +2.5%
2011 18.7% +2.3%
2012 19.1% +2.1%
2013 19.5% +2.0%
2014 19.9% +1.9%
2015 20.2% +1.8%
2016 20.6% +1.7%
2017 20.9% +1.6%
2018 21.2% +1.5%
2019 21.5% +1.4%
2020 21.8% +1.5%
2021 22.2% +1.5%
2022 22.5% +1.6%
2023 22.9% +1.6%
2024 23.3% +1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 8.9% 7.9% 10.0% 10
1990s 11.5% 10.2% 13.1% 10
2000s 15.7% 13.5% 17.9% 10
2010s 20.0% 18.3% 21.5% 10
2020s 22.5% 21.8% 23.3% 5

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 74 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 23.4% compare
  2. 75 Guatemala 23.3% compare
  3. 76 Iceland 23.3% compare
  4. 78 Albania 23.3% compare
  5. 79 Cyprus 23.2% compare
  6. 80 Mongolia 22.8% compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria?
Obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria was 23.3% 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 Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 23.3% in 2024.
What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 7.9% in 1980.
How does Bulgaria rank for obesity in men vs. women?
Bulgaria ranks 77th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Bulgaria 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.

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Obesity in men vs. women in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/obesity-in-men-vs-obesity-in-women/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Obesity in men vs. women
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
199 places, 8,955 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

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.