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

World: Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 5.5% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
5.5%
Change on year
up 3.8%
Rank
6th
of 13 groups
All-time high
5.5%
in 2024
All-time low
4.9%
in 1990
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World, 1990–2024

02461990200720241990: 4.91991: 4.91992: 51993: 51994: 51995: 51996: 5.11997: 5.11998: 5.21999: 5.22000: 5.32001: 5.32002: 5.42003: 5.42004: 5.42005: 5.42006: 5.42007: 5.42008: 5.42009: 5.42010: 5.42011: 5.32012: 5.32013: 5.32014: 5.22015: 5.22016: 5.22017: 5.22018: 5.12019: 5.12020: 5.22021: 5.22022: 5.22023: 5.32024: 5.5

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World stood at 5.5%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World peaked at 5.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1990.

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

Annual values for Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% weight-for-height >+2 SD), model-based estimates in World, 1990 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1990 4.9%
1991 4.9% +0.0%
1992 5.0% +2.0%
1993 5.0% +0.0%
1994 5.0% +0.0%
1995 5.0% +0.0%
1996 5.1% +2.0%
1997 5.1% +0.0%
1998 5.2% +2.0%
1999 5.2% +0.0%
2000 5.3% +1.9%
2001 5.3% +0.0%
2002 5.4% +1.9%
2003 5.4% +0.0%
2004 5.4% +0.0%
2005 5.4% +0.0%
2006 5.4% +0.0%
2007 5.4% +0.0%
2008 5.4% +0.0%
2009 5.4% +0.0%
2010 5.4% +0.0%
2011 5.3% -1.9%
2012 5.3% +0.0%
2013 5.3% +0.0%
2014 5.2% -1.9%
2015 5.2% +0.0%
2016 5.2% +0.0%
2017 5.2% +0.0%
2018 5.1% -1.9%
2019 5.1% +0.0%
2020 5.2% +2.0%
2021 5.2% +0.0%
2022 5.2% +0.0%
2023 5.3% +1.9%
2024 5.5% +3.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5.0% 4.9% 5.2% 10
2000s 5.4% 5.3% 5.4% 10
2010s 5.2% 5.1% 5.4% 10
2020s 5.3% 5.2% 5.5% 5

Countries ranked near World

  1. 3 Turks and Caicos Islands 18.3% compare
  2. 4 Tunisia 17.5% compare
  3. 5 Albania 16.7% compare
  4. 6 Ukraine 16.0% compare
  5. 7 Paraguay 15.4% compare
  6. 8 Trinidad and Tobago 15.0% compare
  7. 9 Argentina 14.3% compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More health data for World

All data for World →

Frequently asked questions

What is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World?
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in World was 5.5% 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 World?
The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 2024.
What is the lowest overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in World?
The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1990.
How does World rank for overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
World ranks 6th out of 13 groups with data for 2024.
Is overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in World?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this World 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 World. 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/world/

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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