Obesity in men vs. women in Malawi
Malawi: Obesity in men vs. women was 3.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Obesity in men vs. women in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 3.3% for obesity in men vs. women in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 6.0% on the previous year and up 62.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in Malawi peaked at 3.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.
That places Malawi 192nd out of 199 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 in men vs. women in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.4% | — |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +5.9% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +5.9% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 1.6% | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 1.8% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | +5.8% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | +6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 189 Burkina Faso 4.4% compare
- 190 Democratic Republic of Congo 4.1% compare
- 191 Cambodia 3.6% compare
- 193 Sierra Leone 3.0% compare
- 194 Bangladesh 2.7% compare
- 195 Eritrea 2.6% compare
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.003 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0015 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2020)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity in men vs. women in Malawi?
- Obesity in men vs. women in Malawi was 3.3% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
- How does Malawi rank for obesity in men vs. women?
- Malawi ranks 192nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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
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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.