Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 7.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in South Korea, 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 South Korea is 7.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 66.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in South Korea peaked at 7.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1980.
That places South Korea 183rd 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.3% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 3.8% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More health data for South Korea
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,072 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 343,093 (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 314,477 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 328,684 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 299,106 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 295,765 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 267,725 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in South Korea?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in South Korea was 7.5% 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 7.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- South Korea ranks 183rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea 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.