Obesity in men vs. women in Iceland
Iceland: Obesity in men vs. women was 23.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Obesity in men vs. women in Iceland, 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 Iceland is 23.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in Iceland peaked at 23.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 1980.
Iceland ranks 76th of 199 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 in men vs. women in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.2% | — |
| 1981 | 6.5% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 6.8% | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 7.1% | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 7.4% | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 7.7% | +4.4% |
| 1986 | 8.0% | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 8.4% | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 8.7% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 9.1% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 9.5% | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 9.9% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 10.3% | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 10.8% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 11.2% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 11.7% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 12.2% | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 12.7% | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 13.8% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 14.9% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 15.5% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 16.1% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 16.6% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 17.2% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 17.7% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 18.2% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 18.6% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 18.9% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 19.5% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 19.8% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 20.0% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 20.2% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 20.5% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 21.0% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 21.3% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 21.6% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 21.9% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 22.3% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 22.6% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 23.0% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 23.3% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.6% | 6.2% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.5% | 9.5% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.8% | 14.4% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.4% | 19.3% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.6% | 21.9% | 23.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More health data for Iceland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2085)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4982 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,358 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 0 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 3.5 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 5.55 % 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 0.0156 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity in men vs. women in Iceland?
- Obesity in men vs. women in Iceland 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 23.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 1980.
- How does Iceland rank for obesity in men vs. women?
- Iceland ranks 76th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.