Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Japan
Japan: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 5.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Japan, 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 Japan is 5.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Japan peaked at 5.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1980.
Japan ranks 192nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom 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 Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.6% | — |
| 1981 | 1.6% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 1.8% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 1.9% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 1.9% | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 2.5% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 3.2% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 3.6% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 3.9% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 4.0% | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 4.1% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 4.4% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | +3.1% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 5.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 17% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Japan's 5.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.6%, 21% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 189 Democratic Republic of Congo 5.9% compare
- 190 Bangladesh 5.7% compare
- 191 Rwanda 5.2% compare
- 193 Cambodia 4.9% compare
- 194 Burundi 4.7% compare
- 195 Madagascar 4.1% compare
More health data for Japan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.73 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2774 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,294 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 178 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.22 % 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 0.0155 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.36 % 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 Japan?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Japan was 5.2% 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 Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1980.
- How does Japan rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Japan ranks 192nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan 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.