Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region)
Americas (WHO region): Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard was 39.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
39.2%
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
1st
of 11 groups
All-time high
39.2%
in 2024
All-time low
12.7%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region), 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region) stood at 39.2%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region) peaked at 39.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1980.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12.7% | — |
| 1981 | 13.1% | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 13.6% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 14.1% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 14.7% | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 15.3% | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 15.9% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 16.5% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 17.2% | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 17.9% | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 18.6% | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 19.3% | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 20.1% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 20.8% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 21.6% | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 22.4% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 23.2% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 23.9% | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 24.7% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 25.4% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 26.1% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 26.8% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 27.4% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 28.0% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 28.7% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 29.3% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 29.9% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 30.5% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 31.1% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 31.6% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 32.1% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 32.7% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 33.2% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 33.7% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 34.2% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 34.7% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 35.3% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 35.8% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 36.3% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 36.8% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 37.3% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 37.8% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 38.7% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 39.2% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.1% | 12.7% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.0% | 18.6% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.9% | 26.1% | 31.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.5% | 32.1% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.2% | 37.3% | 39.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Americas (WHO region)
More health data for Americas (WHO region)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 12,380 (2025)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 23 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 72 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 385 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 24,640 (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, annual growth rate -2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of neonatal deaths, annual growth rate -3.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 22.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -20.67 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region)?
- Overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Americas (WHO region) was 39.2% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard recorded in Americas (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 39.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard recorded in Americas (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1980.
- How does Americas (WHO region) rank for overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard?
- Americas (WHO region) ranks 1st out of 11 groups with data for 2024.
- Is overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard rising or falling in Americas (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Americas (WHO region) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard deviations above the median (crude estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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