Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in South Africa
South Africa: Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 12.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
12.8%
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
17th
of 162 countries
All-time high
13.3%
in 2015
All-time low
11.3%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 12.8%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in South Africa peaked at 13.3% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 17th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.3% | — |
| 2001 | 11.5% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 11.6% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 11.7% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 12.0% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 12.1% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 12.3% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 12.5% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 12.7% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 12.8% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 13.0% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 13.1% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 13.2% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 13.3% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 13.2% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 13.1% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 13.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 12.9% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 12.8% | -0.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 12.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.5%, 1.7× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 12.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.2%, 3.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.0% | 11.3% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.2% | 12.8% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.0% | 12.8% | 13.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % 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 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % 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 South Africa?
- Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in South Africa was 12.8% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 13.3% in 2015.
- What is the lowest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
- South Africa ranks 17th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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).