Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in South America (UNSDG)

South America (UNSDG): Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 was 15.87 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
15.87
Change on year
up 4.4%
Rank
17th
of 156 groups
All-time high
15.87
in 2022
All-time low
5.42
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in South America (UNSDG), 2000–2022

57.51012.5152000201120222000: 5.42001: 5.72002: 5.92003: 6.32004: 6.62005: 72006: 7.32007: 7.72008: 8.12009: 8.62010: 92011: 9.52012: 102013: 10.52014: 112015: 11.62016: 12.12017: 12.72018: 13.32019: 13.92020: 14.62021: 15.22022: 15.9

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

South America (UNSDG) recorded 15.87 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.

That represents a change of up 4.4% on the previous year and up 59.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South America (UNSDG) peaked at 15.87 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 5.42, in 2000.

South America (UNSDG) ranks 17th of 156 groups on this measure, 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 South America (UNSDG), 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 South America (UNSDG), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 5.42
2001 5.7 +5.1%
2002 5.93 +4.0%
2003 6.25 +5.5%
2004 6.6 +5.5%
2005 6.95 +5.4%
2006 7.3 +5.0%
2007 7.71 +5.5%
2008 8.14 +5.6%
2009 8.57 +5.2%
2010 9.04 +5.5%
2011 9.5 +5.0%
2012 9.98 +5.1%
2013 10.51 +5.4%
2014 11.03 +4.9%
2015 11.58 +5.0%
2016 12.14 +4.8%
2017 12.73 +4.9%
2018 13.3 +4.4%
2019 13.93 +4.7%
2020 14.55 +4.5%
2021 15.2 +4.5%
2022 15.87 +4.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 6.86 5.42 8.57 10
2010s 11.37 9.04 13.93 10
2020s 15.21 14.55 15.87 3

Countries ranked near South America (UNSDG)

  1. 14 Barbados 22.95 compare
  2. 15 Brunei Darussalam 22.11 compare
  3. 16 Belize 21.8 compare
  4. 17 United Arab Emirates 21.4 compare
  5. 18 Kuwait 21.23 compare
  6. 19 United States of America 20.6 compare
  7. 20 Micronesia, Federated States of 20.48 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for South America (UNSDG)

All data for South America (UNSDG) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South America (UNSDG)?
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in South America (UNSDG) was 15.87 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in South America (UNSDG)?
The highest recorded value was 15.87 in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in South America (UNSDG)?
The lowest recorded value was 5.42 in 2000.
How does South America (UNSDG) rank for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2?
South America (UNSDG) ranks 17th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 rising or falling in South America (UNSDG)?
Over the last ten years it is up 59.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South America (UNSDG) 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 South America (UNSDG). Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-obesity-among-children-aged-5-19-years-bmi-2-standard-deviations-above-the/south-america-unsdg/

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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