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

Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions): Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 was 12.72 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
12.72
Change on year
up 5.2%
Rank
41st
of 156 groups
All-time high
12.72
in 2022
All-time low
5.11
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 (World Bank regions), 2000–2022

0510152000201120222000: 5.12001: 5.32002: 5.52003: 5.62004: 5.82005: 62006: 6.22007: 6.42008: 6.72009: 6.92010: 7.12011: 7.42012: 7.72013: 82014: 8.42015: 8.82016: 9.32017: 9.82018: 10.32019: 10.92020: 11.52021: 12.12022: 12.7

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) recorded 12.72 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.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 65.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) peaked at 12.72 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 5.11, in 2000.

That places Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) 41st out of 156 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

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 (World Bank 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 (World Bank regions), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 5.11
2001 5.28 +3.3%
2002 5.46 +3.4%
2003 5.64 +3.4%
2004 5.85 +3.6%
2005 6.04 +3.3%
2006 6.24 +3.3%
2007 6.44 +3.1%
2008 6.67 +3.7%
2009 6.91 +3.6%
2010 7.13 +3.2%
2011 7.39 +3.7%
2012 7.7 +4.2%
2013 8.04 +4.4%
2014 8.44 +4.9%
2015 8.83 +4.7%
2016 9.3 +5.3%
2017 9.82 +5.6%
2018 10.34 +5.4%
2019 10.91 +5.5%
2020 11.5 +5.3%
2021 12.09 +5.2%
2022 12.72 +5.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.96 5.11 6.91 10
2010s 8.79 7.13 10.91 10
2020s 12.1 11.5 12.72 3

Countries ranked near Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions)

  1. 39 Uruguay 17.75 compare
  2. 40 Mexico 17.66 compare
  3. 41 Cuba 17.09 compare
  4. 42 Peru 16.96 compare
  5. 43 Malaysia 16.47 compare
  6. 44 Bolivia 16.32 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions)

All data for Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions)?
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) was 12.72 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 (World Bank regions)?
The highest recorded value was 12.72 in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions)?
The lowest recorded value was 5.11 in 2000.
How does Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) rank for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2?
Middle East and North Africa (World Bank regions) ranks 41st 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 (World Bank regions)?
Over the last ten years it is up 65.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Middle East and North Africa (World Bank 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 (World Bank regions). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 18 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-world-bank-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