Prevalence rate of obesity in adults in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Prevalence rate of obesity in adults was 22.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence rate of obesity in adults in Vanuatu, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Vanuatu recorded 22.6% for prevalence rate of obesity in adults in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence rate of obesity in adults in Vanuatu peaked at 22.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.0%, in 1980.
That places Vanuatu 99th 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.
Prevalence rate of obesity in adults in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 11.0% | — |
| 1981 | 11.2% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 11.4% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 11.6% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 11.9% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 12.1% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 12.3% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 12.6% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 12.8% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 13.3% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 13.8% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 14.0% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 14.3% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 14.5% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 14.8% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 15.0% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 15.2% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 15.5% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 15.7% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 16.0% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 16.3% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 16.5% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 16.8% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 17.0% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 17.2% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 17.5% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 17.7% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 17.9% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 18.1% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 18.4% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 18.8% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 19.1% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 19.4% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 20.0% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 20.3% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 21.0% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 21.4% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 21.8% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 22.2% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 22.6% | +1.8% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 22.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 16.0%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 22.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.2%, 93% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.0% | 11.0% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 13.3% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.9% | 15.7% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.3% | 18.1% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 21.0% | 22.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More health data for Vanuatu
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8846 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.3888 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0639 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.395 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0682 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence rate of obesity in adults in Vanuatu?
- Prevalence rate of obesity in adults in Vanuatu was 22.6% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest prevalence rate of obesity in adults recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 22.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence rate of obesity in adults recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.0% in 1980.
- How does Vanuatu rank for prevalence rate of obesity in adults?
- Vanuatu ranks 99th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence rate of obesity in adults rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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 Prevalence rate of obesity in adults. 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
Estimated prevalence of obesity in adults, based on general population surveys and statistical modeling. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic complications, including cardiovascular disease, and premature death.