Overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Malawi
Malawi: Overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 23.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
23.1%
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
186th
of 198 countries
All-time high
23.1%
in 2024
All-time low
6.4%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 23.1% for overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Malawi peaked at 23.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 1980.
Malawi ranks 186th of 198 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.4% | — |
| 1981 | 6.5% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 6.7% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 6.9% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 7.1% | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 7.3% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 7.5% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 7.7% | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 7.9% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 8.2% | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 8.4% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 8.7% | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 9.0% | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 9.2% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 9.5% | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 9.8% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 10.1% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 10.5% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 10.8% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 11.5% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 11.9% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 12.2% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 12.6% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 13.4% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 13.8% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 14.2% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 14.6% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 15.1% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 16.4% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 18.0% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 18.5% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 20.2% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 20.8% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 21.4% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 21.9% | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 23.1% | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.2% | 6.4% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.7% | 8.4% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.2% | 11.5% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 15.5% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 20.8% | 23.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 183 Uganda 24.6% compare
- 184 Sierra Leone 23.9% compare
- 185 South Sudan 23.6% compare
- 187 Central African Republic 22.9% compare
- 188 Burkina Faso 22.5% compare
- 189 Rwanda 21.7% compare
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 2.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.036 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate 3.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0331 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Malawi?
- Overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Malawi was 23.1% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 1980.
- How does Malawi rank for overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
- Malawi ranks 186th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).