Obesity in men vs. women in Zambia
Zambia: Obesity in men vs. women was 5.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Obesity in men vs. women in Zambia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 5.6% 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 6.0% on the previous year and up 65.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, obesity in men vs. women in Zambia peaked at 5.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1980.
That places Zambia 179th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.6% | — |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 0.7% | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 0.8% | +5.4% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +5.9% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +5.9% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 2.6% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | +5.6% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 5.2% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 5.6% | +6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 6.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0041 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 5.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is obesity in men vs. women in Zambia?
- Obesity in men vs. women in Zambia was 5.6% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest obesity in men vs. women recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for obesity in men vs. women?
- Zambia ranks 179th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is obesity in men vs. women rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.