Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 8.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
8.4%
Change on year
down 7.7%
World rank
55th
of 162 countries
All-time high
10.9%
in 2017
All-time low
3.7%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Saudi Arabia is 8.4%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 7.7% on the previous year and down 18.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 10.9% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2000.
Saudi Arabia ranks 55th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.7% | — |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +10.8% |
| 2002 | 4.5% | +9.8% |
| 2003 | 4.9% | +8.9% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +8.2% |
| 2005 | 5.8% | +9.4% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | +7.9% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 8.5% | +7.6% |
| 2011 | 9.0% | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 9.5% | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 9.9% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 10.3% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 10.6% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 10.8% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 10.9% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 10.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.8% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 10.6% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 10.2% | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 9.1% | -6.2% |
| 2024 | 8.4% | -7.7% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 8.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.6%, 98% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 8.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8.7%, 97% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.7% | 3.7% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 8.5% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 8.4% | 10.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 54 El Salvador 8.5% compare
- 55 Cape Verde 8.4% compare
- 57 Naoero 8.2% compare
- 58 Bhutan 8.0% compare
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % 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 Saudi Arabia?
- Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Saudi Arabia was 8.4% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.9% in 2017.
- What is the lowest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2000.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 55th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).