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

Sri Lanka: Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 0.9% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
0.9%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
161st
of 162 countries
All-time high
1.2%
in 2008
All-time low
0.9%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

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

00.250.50.7511.22000201220242000: 0.92001: 12002: 12003: 12004: 1.12005: 1.12006: 1.12007: 1.12008: 1.22009: 1.22010: 1.22011: 1.22012: 1.22013: 1.22014: 1.22015: 1.22016: 1.22017: 1.12018: 1.12019: 1.12020: 1.12021: 12022: 12023: 0.92024: 0.9

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Sri Lanka recorded 0.9% for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 25.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.2% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2000.

Sri Lanka ranks 161st of 162 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% weight-for-height >+2 SD), model-based estimates in Sri Lanka, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 0.9%
2001 1.0% +11.1%
2002 1.0% +0.0%
2003 1.0% +0.0%
2004 1.1% +10.0%
2005 1.1% +0.0%
2006 1.1% +0.0%
2007 1.1% +0.0%
2008 1.2% +9.1%
2009 1.2% +0.0%
2010 1.2% +0.0%
2011 1.2% +0.0%
2012 1.2% +0.0%
2013 1.2% +0.0%
2014 1.2% +0.0%
2015 1.2% +0.0%
2016 1.2% +0.0%
2017 1.1% -8.3%
2018 1.1% +0.0%
2019 1.1% +0.0%
2020 1.1% +0.0%
2021 1.0% -9.1%
2022 1.0% +0.0%
2023 0.9% -10.0%
2024 0.9% +0.0%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 0.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.5%, 12% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
  • Sri Lanka's 0.9% is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.4%, 38% of the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.1% 0.9% 1.2% 10
2010s 1.2% 1.1% 1.2% 10
2020s 1.0% 0.9% 1.1% 5

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 159 Mali 1.3% compare
  2. 160 Timor-Leste 1.2% compare
  3. 162 Myanmar 0.6% compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More health data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Sri Lanka?
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Sri Lanka was 0.9% 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 Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 2008.
What is the lowest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2000.
How does Sri Lanka rank for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
Sri Lanka ranks 161st out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
Is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/overweight-prevalence-among-children-under-5-years-of-age-percent-weight-for-height-2-sd-2/sri-lanka/

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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