Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)

Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions): Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 was 14.77 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
14.77
Change on year
up 3.1%
Rank
31st
of 156 groups
All-time high
14.77
in 2022
All-time low
6.98
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions), 2000–2022

0510152000201120222000: 72001: 7.32002: 7.52003: 7.82004: 8.12005: 8.42006: 8.72007: 92008: 9.32009: 9.62010: 9.82011: 10.22012: 10.52013: 10.82014: 11.22015: 11.62016: 122017: 12.52018: 12.92019: 13.42020: 13.92021: 14.32022: 14.8

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) is 14.77, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 40.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) peaked at 14.77 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.98, in 2000.

That places Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) 31st out of 156 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top 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 Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.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 Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 6.98
2001 7.27 +4.1%
2002 7.54 +3.7%
2003 7.82 +3.7%
2004 8.13 +3.9%
2005 8.41 +3.4%
2006 8.71 +3.6%
2007 8.99 +3.3%
2008 9.29 +3.3%
2009 9.59 +3.2%
2010 9.85 +2.7%
2011 10.16 +3.2%
2012 10.5 +3.3%
2013 10.84 +3.3%
2014 11.23 +3.6%
2015 11.59 +3.3%
2016 12.01 +3.6%
2017 12.45 +3.7%
2018 12.91 +3.6%
2019 13.38 +3.6%
2020 13.86 +3.6%
2021 14.32 +3.3%
2022 14.77 +3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8.27 6.98 9.59 10
2010s 11.49 9.85 13.38 10
2020s 14.31 13.86 14.77 3

Countries ranked near Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)

  1. 28 Kiribati 18.88 compare
  2. 29 Oman 18.85 compare
  3. 30 Iraq 18.64 compare
  4. 31 Lebanon 18.58 compare
  5. 32 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18.55 compare
  6. 33 Dominica 18.51 compare
  7. 34 Suriname 18.16 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)

All data for Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) was 14.77 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
The highest recorded value was 14.77 in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
The lowest recorded value was 6.98 in 2000.
How does Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) rank for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2?
Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions) ranks 31st out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 rising or falling in Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions)?
Over the last ten years it is up 40.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.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 Middle East and North Africa (UNICEF Prog.regions). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-obesity-among-children-aged-5-19-years-bmi-2-standard-deviations-above-the/middle-east-and-north-africa-unicef-prog-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