Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in South Korea
South Korea: Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 was 13.96 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in South Korea, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South Korea is 13.96, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South Korea peaked at 13.96 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.38, in 1990.
That places South Korea 59th out of 193 countries with data for 2022, putting it 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 children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.38 | — |
| 1991 | 2.6 | +9.2% |
| 1992 | 2.85 | +9.6% |
| 1993 | 3.12 | +9.5% |
| 1994 | 3.4 | +9.0% |
| 1995 | 3.69 | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 3.99 | +8.1% |
| 1997 | 4.34 | +8.8% |
| 1998 | 4.74 | +9.2% |
| 1999 | 5.21 | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 5.76 | +10.6% |
| 2001 | 6.34 | +10.1% |
| 2002 | 6.92 | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 7.45 | +7.7% |
| 2004 | 7.9 | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 8.26 | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 8.53 | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 8.69 | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 8.77 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 8.79 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 8.81 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 8.84 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 8.93 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 9.09 | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 9.32 | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 9.61 | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 9.97 | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 10.43 | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 11.02 | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 11.69 | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 12.45 | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 13.24 | +6.3% |
| 2022 | 13.96 | +5.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 13.96 is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.55, 1.2× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 13.96 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.25, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.63 | 2.38 | 5.21 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.74 | 5.76 | 8.79 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.77 | 8.81 | 11.69 | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.22 | 12.45 | 13.96 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More health data for South Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 69 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % 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 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % 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 0.0124 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South Korea?
- Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South Korea was 13.96 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 13.96 in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.38 in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2?
- South Korea ranks 59th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).