Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Africa (WHO regions)

Africa (WHO regions): Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 was 3.98 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
3.98
Change on year
up 7.0%
Rank
131st
of 156 groups
All-time high
3.98
in 2022
All-time low
1.35
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Africa (WHO regions), 2000–2022

12342000201120222000: 1.32001: 1.52002: 1.52003: 1.62004: 1.82005: 1.82006: 1.92007: 22008: 2.12009: 2.22010: 2.32011: 2.42012: 2.42013: 2.52014: 2.62015: 2.72016: 2.82017: 32018: 3.12019: 3.32020: 3.52021: 3.72022: 4

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Africa (WHO regions) recorded 3.98 for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

The figure is up 7.0% on the previous year and up 64.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Africa (WHO regions) peaked at 3.98 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.35, in 2000.

Africa (WHO regions) ranks 131st of 156 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Africa (WHO regions), year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 standard deviations above the median (Crude estimate) in Africa (WHO regions), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 1.35
2001 1.46 +8.3%
2002 1.55 +5.9%
2003 1.64 +6.2%
2004 1.76 +6.9%
2005 1.85 +5.3%
2006 1.95 +5.3%
2007 2.05 +5.1%
2008 2.13 +4.1%
2009 2.22 +4.1%
2010 2.28 +2.8%
2011 2.35 +3.0%
2012 2.42 +3.0%
2013 2.51 +3.6%
2014 2.59 +3.4%
2015 2.7 +4.0%
2016 2.8 +3.8%
2017 2.96 +5.6%
2018 3.13 +5.9%
2019 3.31 +5.6%
2020 3.51 +6.2%
2021 3.72 +6.0%
2022 3.98 +7.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.8 1.35 2.22 10
2010s 2.7 2.28 3.31 10
2020s 3.74 3.51 3.98 3

Countries ranked near Africa (WHO regions)

  1. 128 Mongolia 6.44 compare
  2. 129 Sudan 6.41 compare
  3. 130 Uzbekistan 6.4 compare
  4. 131 Viet Nam 6.31 compare
  5. 132 Russian Federation 6.24 compare
  6. 133 Norway 6.17 compare
  7. 134 Botswana 6.08 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Africa (WHO regions)

All data for Africa (WHO regions) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Africa (WHO regions)?
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Africa (WHO regions) was 3.98 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Africa (WHO regions)?
The highest recorded value was 3.98 in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Africa (WHO regions)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.35 in 2000.
How does Africa (WHO regions) rank for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2?
Africa (WHO regions) ranks 131st out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 rising or falling in Africa (WHO regions)?
Over the last ten years it is up 64.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa (WHO regions) data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 standard deviations above the median (Crude estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Africa (WHO regions). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-obesity-among-children-aged-5-19-years-bmi-2-standard-deviations-above-the/africa-who-regions/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 standard deviations above the median (Crude estimate)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
349 places, 9,957 data points, 1990–2022
Last refreshed