Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China
China: Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 11.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China stood at 11.1%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.7% on the previous year and up 54.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China peaked at 11.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 2000.
That places China 26th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.5% | — |
| 2001 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 6.6% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 6.7% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 6.8% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 7.1% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 7.2% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 8.2% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 8.5% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 8.9% | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 9.9% | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 10.4% | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 11.1% | +6.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 11.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.5%, 1.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- China's 11.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.5%, 2.0× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 6.7% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 8.9% | 11.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % 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 overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China?
- Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in China was 11.1% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 2000.
- How does China rank for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
- China ranks 26th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% weight-for-height >+2 SD), model-based estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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