Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard in Zambia
Zambia: Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard was 14.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Overweight among children and adolescents, BMI-for-age > +1 standard in Zambia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Zambia is 14.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Zambia peaked at 14.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1980.
That places Zambia 159th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.5% | — |
| 1981 | 3.5% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 3.6% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 3.6% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 3.7% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 3.8% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 3.9% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 4.1% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 4.6% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 4.8% | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 5.1% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 5.4% | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 5.6% | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 5.8% | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 6.1% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 6.8% | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 7.3% | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 7.6% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 7.9% | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 8.4% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 8.7% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 9.0% | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 9.3% | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 9.6% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 10.0% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 10.4% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 10.8% | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 11.2% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 11.7% | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 12.2% | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 12.7% | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 13.7% | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 14.3% | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.8% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.9% | 5.8% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 8.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.2% | 12.2% | 14.3% | 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 overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Zambia?
- Overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard in Zambia was 14.3% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 14.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard?
- Zambia ranks 159th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is overweight among children and adolescents, bmi-for-age > +1 standard rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
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