Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama

Panama: Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 10.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
10.9%
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
28th
of 162 countries
All-time high
11.5%
in 2018
All-time low
8.3%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama, 2000–2024

02.557.51012.52000201220242000: 8.32001: 8.62002: 8.92003: 9.22004: 9.42005: 9.62006: 9.82007: 102008: 10.22009: 10.42010: 10.62011: 10.82012: 112013: 11.12014: 11.32015: 11.32016: 11.42017: 11.42018: 11.52019: 11.52020: 11.42021: 11.42022: 11.22023: 11.12024: 10.9

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama stood at 10.9%.

The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama peaked at 11.5% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2000.

Panama ranks 28th of 162 countries on this measure, 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 Panama, year by year

Annual values for Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% weight-for-height >+2 SD), model-based estimates in Panama, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 8.3%
2001 8.6% +3.6%
2002 8.9% +3.5%
2003 9.2% +3.4%
2004 9.4% +2.2%
2005 9.6% +2.1%
2006 9.8% +2.1%
2007 10.0% +2.0%
2008 10.2% +2.0%
2009 10.4% +2.0%
2010 10.6% +1.9%
2011 10.8% +1.9%
2012 11.0% +1.9%
2013 11.1% +0.9%
2014 11.3% +1.8%
2015 11.3% +0.0%
2016 11.4% +0.9%
2017 11.4% +0.0%
2018 11.5% +0.9%
2019 11.5% +0.0%
2020 11.4% -0.9%
2021 11.4% +0.0%
2022 11.2% -1.8%
2023 11.1% -0.9%
2024 10.9% -1.8%

Panama compared with similar countries

  • Panama's 10.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.6%, 1.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • Panama's 10.9% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 8.2%, 1.3× the median. (26 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 9.4% 8.3% 10.4% 10
2010s 11.2% 10.6% 11.5% 10
2020s 11.2% 10.9% 11.4% 5

Countries ranked near Panama

  1. 26 China 11.1% compare
  2. 27 Syrian Arab Republic 11.0% compare
  3. 28 Seychelles 10.9% compare
  4. 28 Brazil 10.9% compare
  5. 31 Cuba 10.6% compare
  6. 31 Jordan 10.6% compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More health data for Panama

All data for Panama →

Frequently asked questions

What is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama?
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama was 10.9% 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 Panama?
The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 2018.
What is the lowest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in Panama?
The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2000.
How does Panama rank for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
Panama ranks 28th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
Is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in Panama?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Panama 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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Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Panama. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/overweight-prevalence-among-children-under-5-years-of-age-percent-weight-for-height-2-sd-2/panama/

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About this data

Indicator
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% weight-for-height >+2 SD), model-based estimates
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
177 places, 4,555 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed