Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Iran
Iran: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 25.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Iran, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iran recorded 25.7% for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Iran peaked at 25.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 1980.
That places Iran 94th 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 Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.4% | — |
| 1981 | 7.5% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 7.7% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 8.1% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 8.4% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 8.6% | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 8.9% | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 9.2% | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 9.5% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 9.9% | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 10.2% | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 10.6% | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 11.0% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 11.4% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 11.7% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 12.1% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 12.4% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 12.8% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 13.1% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 13.5% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 13.8% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 14.2% | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 14.6% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 15.4% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 15.8% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 16.2% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 16.7% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 17.8% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 18.4% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 18.9% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 19.6% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 20.2% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 22.3% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 22.8% | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 23.4% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 23.9% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 24.4% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 24.8% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 25.3% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 25.7% | +1.7% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 25.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28.6%, 90% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 25.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.3%, 85% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.3% | 7.4% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.5% | 9.9% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.2% | 13.5% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.6% | 17.8% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.8% | 23.9% | 25.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More health data for Iran
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.38 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.5627 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,361 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1,070 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.88 % 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 0.0311 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.95 % 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 Iran?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Iran was 25.7% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 25.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 1980.
- How does Iran rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Iran ranks 94th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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
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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.