Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Kenya
Kenya: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 10.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Kenya, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 10.4% for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 47.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Kenya peaked at 10.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1980.
That places Kenya 169th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.0% | — |
| 1981 | 1.1% | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | +5.0% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 1.6% | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 2.5% | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | +6.9% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | +7.0% |
| 2000 | 3.2% | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 3.9% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | +6.0% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 6.7% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 7.7% | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 8.0% | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 8.4% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 10.4% | +3.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 10.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.6%, 71% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 10.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.6%, 90% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 1.7% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 3.2% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 5.8% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.7% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % 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 Kenya?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Kenya was 10.4% 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1980.
- How does Kenya rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Kenya ranks 169th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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.