Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 29.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 29.2% 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 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 29.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 1980.
United Kingdom ranks 75th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.4% | — |
| 1981 | 7.8% | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 8.2% | +5.5% |
| 1983 | 8.7% | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 9.1% | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 9.6% | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 10.1% | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 10.7% | +5.3% |
| 1988 | 11.3% | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 11.9% | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 12.5% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 13.2% | +5.2% |
| 1992 | 13.9% | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 14.6% | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 15.4% | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 16.1% | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 16.9% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 17.7% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 18.5% | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 19.3% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 20.1% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 20.8% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 21.5% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 22.9% | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 23.4% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 24.0% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 24.5% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 24.9% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 25.3% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 25.7% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 26.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 26.3% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 26.5% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 26.8% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 27.1% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 27.3% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 27.6% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 27.9% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 28.1% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 28.3% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 28.6% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 28.8% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 29.0% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 29.2% | +0.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 29.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 97% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 29.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.3%, 1.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.5% | 7.4% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.8% | 12.5% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.0% | 20.1% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.9% | 25.7% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.8% | 28.3% | 29.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More health data for United Kingdom
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % 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 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % 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 United Kingdom?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom was 29.2% 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 29.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 75th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.