Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 (Age-standardized) in South Africa
South Africa: Prevalence of obesity among adults, BMI ≥ 30 (Age-standardized) was 30.82 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
30.82
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
50th
of 193 countries
All-time high
30.82
in 2022
All-time low
16.09
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022
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 (Age-standardized) 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% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 30.82 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 26.68, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 30.82 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.6, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.046 units per person (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).