Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Australia
Australia: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 32.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Australia, 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 share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Australia is 32.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Australia peaked at 32.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1980.
Australia ranks 53rd of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.5% | — |
| 1981 | 8.0% | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 8.4% | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 8.9% | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 9.4% | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 9.9% | +5.6% |
| 1986 | 10.5% | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 11.1% | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 11.6% | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 12.2% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | +5.1% |
| 1991 | 13.5% | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 14.2% | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 14.9% | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 15.7% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 16.4% | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 17.2% | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 17.9% | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 18.7% | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 19.4% | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 20.1% | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 20.9% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 21.5% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 22.8% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 23.5% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 24.0% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 24.6% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 25.0% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 25.5% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 26.0% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 26.9% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 27.3% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 27.7% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 28.2% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 28.6% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 29.1% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 29.5% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 30.0% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 30.5% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 31.0% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 31.5% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 31.9% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 32.4% | +1.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 32.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 1.1× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Australia's 32.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.6%, 1.3× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.8% | 7.5% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.1% | 12.9% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.0% | 20.1% | 25.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.0% | 26.0% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.4% | 30.5% | 32.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 906.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 215 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Australia?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Australia was 32.4% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1980.
- How does Australia rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Australia ranks 53rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia 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 Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita. 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) ≥ 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.