Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 39.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Saudi Arabia, 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 Saudi Arabia is 39.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Saudi Arabia peaked at 39.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 15.2%, in 1980.
That places Saudi Arabia 26th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15.2% | — |
| 1981 | 15.5% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 15.9% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 16.8% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 17.2% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 17.7% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 18.2% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 18.8% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 19.3% | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 19.9% | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 20.5% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 21.1% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 21.7% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 22.3% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 22.9% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 23.5% | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 24.2% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 24.9% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 25.6% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 26.1% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 26.6% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 26.9% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 27.3% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 27.7% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 28.1% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 28.5% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 29.0% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 29.5% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 30.1% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 30.8% | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 31.5% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 32.2% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 33.0% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 33.8% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 34.6% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 35.4% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 36.2% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 36.9% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 37.3% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 37.7% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 38.0% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 38.8% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 39.2% | +1.1% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 39.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 39.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.3%, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.1% | 15.2% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.6% | 19.9% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.0% | 26.1% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.2% | 30.8% | 37.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.4% | 37.7% | 39.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % 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 Saudi Arabia?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Saudi Arabia was 39.2% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 39.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.2% in 1980.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 26th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.