Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Iraq
Iraq: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 36.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Iraq, 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 Iraq is 36.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Iraq peaked at 36.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 1980.
Iraq ranks 33rd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.5% | — |
| 1981 | 13.8% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 14.1% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 14.5% | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 14.9% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 15.3% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 15.7% | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 16.1% | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 16.5% | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 17.0% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 17.4% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 17.9% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 18.4% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 18.9% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 19.4% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 20.0% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 20.6% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 21.2% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 21.8% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 22.5% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 23.2% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 23.9% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 24.6% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 25.3% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 26.0% | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 26.7% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 27.4% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 28.1% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 28.8% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 29.4% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 30.0% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 30.6% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 31.2% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 31.8% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 32.4% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 33.0% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 33.5% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 34.0% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 34.5% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 34.9% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 35.3% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 35.7% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 36.0% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 36.4% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 36.8% | +1.1% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 36.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28.6%, 1.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 36.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.3%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.1% | 13.5% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.8% | 17.4% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.4% | 23.2% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.6% | 30.0% | 34.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.0% | 35.3% | 36.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More health data for Iraq
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 898.9 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 5,830 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.988 % 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 0.0587 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9818 % 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 Iraq?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Iraq was 36.8% 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 36.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 1980.
- How does Iraq rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Iraq ranks 33rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq 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.