Obesity in men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Obesity in men vs. women was 25.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Obesity in men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 25.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 25.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1980.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 54th 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.5% | — |
| 1981 | 5.9% | +6.7% |
| 1982 | 6.3% | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 6.7% | +6.6% |
| 1984 | 7.1% | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 7.6% | +6.5% |
| 1986 | 8.1% | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 8.6% | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 9.1% | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 9.7% | +6.4% |
| 1990 | 10.3% | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 11.0% | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 11.7% | +6.3% |
| 1993 | 12.4% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 13.2% | +6.0% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 14.7% | +5.7% |
| 1997 | 15.5% | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 16.3% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 17.1% | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 17.9% | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 19.5% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 20.2% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 20.9% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 21.5% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 22.1% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 22.6% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 23.0% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 23.4% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 24.1% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 24.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 24.5% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 24.7% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 24.9% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 25.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 25.2% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 25.3% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 25.4% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 25.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 25.6% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 25.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 25.9% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.5% | 5.5% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.6% | 10.3% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.0% | 17.9% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 23.7% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.6% | 25.4% | 25.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate -0.7278 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0333 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate -0.1504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0344 units per person (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity in men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Obesity in men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 25.9% 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 25.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for obesity in men vs. women?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 54th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern 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.