Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Laos
Laos: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 9.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Laos, 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 Laos is 9.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.8% on the previous year and up 82.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Laos peaked at 9.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1980.
That places Laos 176th 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 Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.8% | — |
| 1981 | 0.8% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 0.9% | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 1.2% | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 1.3% | +5.5% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 1.6% | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 1.7% | +5.8% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +6.0% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 2.1% | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 3.2% | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | +6.2% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 4.3% | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 4.9% | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | +6.5% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | +6.3% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 7.1% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 7.6% | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 8.0% | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 9.0% | +5.8% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 9.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.6%, 62% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 9.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.6%, 37% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.1% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 3.8% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.0% | 7.1% | 9.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 173 Guinea 9.4% compare
- 174 Mozambique 9.4% compare
- 175 China 9.1% compare
- 177 Central African Republic 8.9% compare
- 178 Myanmar 8.3% compare
- 179 South Sudan 8.2% compare
More health data for Laos
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5667 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,260 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 317 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 15 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5161 % 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 0.0489 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5055 % 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 Laos?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Laos was 9.0% 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1980.
- How does Laos rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Laos ranks 176th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 82.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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.