Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Belgium
Belgium: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 22.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Belgium, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Belgium stood at 22.9%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Belgium peaked at 22.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 1980.
That places Belgium 110th 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.
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 11.9% | — |
| 1981 | 12.0% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 12.1% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 12.2% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 12.4% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 12.5% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 12.6% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 12.8% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 13.0% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 13.3% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 13.5% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 13.7% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 14.0% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 14.3% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 14.6% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 14.9% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 15.2% | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 15.5% | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 15.9% | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 16.2% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 16.6% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 17.7% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 18.0% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 18.3% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 18.6% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 18.9% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 19.1% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 19.5% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 19.6% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 19.8% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 20.1% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 20.3% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 20.5% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 20.8% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 21.0% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 21.3% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 21.9% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 22.2% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 22.9% | +1.5% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 22.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 76% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 22.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.3%, 90% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.5% | 11.9% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.5% | 13.3% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.8% | 16.2% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.2% | 19.3% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.2% | 21.6% | 22.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,160 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 59 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.96 % 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 Belgium?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Belgium was 22.9% 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 1980.
- How does Belgium rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Belgium ranks 110th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium 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.