Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Zambia
Zambia: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 10.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Zambia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Zambia stood at 10.1%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 64.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Zambia peaked at 10.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1980.
Zambia ranks 171st of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.3% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 1.7% | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 1.8% | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 4.2% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 5.0% | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 5.2% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 5.5% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 5.8% | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 6.1% | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 7.9% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 8.3% | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 8.7% | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 9.6% | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 10.1% | +4.9% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 10.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.6%, 69% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 10.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.6%, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 2.9% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 5.0% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.2% | 8.3% | 10.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Zambia?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Zambia was 10.1% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Zambia ranks 171st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.