Obesity in men vs. women in Ireland
Ireland: Obesity in men vs. women was 28.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Obesity in men vs. women in Ireland, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, obesity in men vs. women in Ireland stood at 28.8%. 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 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in Ireland peaked at 28.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 1980.
Ireland ranks 44th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Obesity in men vs. women in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.7% | — |
| 1981 | 9.1% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 9.4% | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 9.8% | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 10.2% | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 10.7% | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 11.1% | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 11.6% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 12.0% | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 12.6% | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 13.1% | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 13.7% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 14.9% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 15.5% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 16.2% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 16.9% | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 17.5% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 18.9% | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 19.7% | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 20.4% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 21.1% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 21.7% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 22.4% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 23.0% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 24.1% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 24.6% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 25.0% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 25.4% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 25.7% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 26.0% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 26.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 26.5% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 26.8% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 27.0% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 27.3% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 27.5% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 27.7% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 27.9% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 28.1% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 28.3% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 28.5% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 28.8% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.5% | 8.7% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.9% | 13.1% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.5% | 19.7% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 25.4% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.3% | 27.9% | 28.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,122 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0284 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 2.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0272 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity in men vs. women in Ireland?
- Obesity in men vs. women in Ireland was 28.8% 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 28.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 1980.
- How does Ireland rank for obesity in men vs. women?
- Ireland ranks 44th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.