Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 in South Africa
South Africa: Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 was 30.82 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 in South Africa, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 30.82 for prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 in South Africa peaked at 30.82 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 16.09, in 1990.
South Africa ranks 50th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16.09 | — |
| 1991 | 16.66 | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 17.3 | +3.8% |
| 1993 | 18.02 | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 18.75 | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 19.49 | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 20.23 | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 20.92 | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 21.55 | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 22.18 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 22.81 | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 23.44 | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 24.07 | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 24.69 | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 25.31 | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 25.9 | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 26.46 | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 26.97 | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 27.42 | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 27.81 | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 28.13 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 28.4 | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 28.63 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 28.84 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 29.02 | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 29.17 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 29.39 | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 29.64 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 29.86 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 30.08 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 30.32 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 30.56 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 30.82 | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.12 | 16.09 | 22.18 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.49 | 22.81 | 27.81 | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.12 | 28.13 | 30.08 | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.57 | 30.32 | 30.82 | 3 |
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)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.0424 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, annual growth rate 2.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0426 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate -0.9299 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 in South Africa?
- Prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 in South Africa was 30.82 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.82 in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.09 in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30?
- South Africa ranks 50th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of obesity among adults, bmi ≥ 30 rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 (Age-standardized estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).