Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 in Southern Africa (African Union)

Southern Africa (African Union): Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, BMI > +2 was 4.22 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
4.22
Change on year
up 3.8%
Rank
120th
of 156 groups
All-time high
4.22
in 2022
All-time low
1.53
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

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

012342000201120222000: 1.52001: 1.72002: 1.92003: 2.12004: 2.42005: 2.62006: 2.82007: 32008: 3.22009: 3.32010: 3.32011: 3.42012: 3.42013: 3.52014: 3.52015: 3.52016: 3.52017: 3.62018: 3.72019: 3.82020: 3.92021: 4.12022: 4.2

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Southern Africa (African Union) recorded 4.22 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 3.8% on the previous year and up 23.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Southern Africa (African Union) peaked at 4.22 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.53, in 2000.

Southern Africa (African Union) ranks 120th 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 Southern Africa (African Union), 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 Southern Africa (African Union), 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 1.53
2001 1.73 +12.6%
2002 1.94 +12.2%
2003 2.15 +10.7%
2004 2.39 +11.3%
2005 2.61 +9.2%
2006 2.83 +8.6%
2007 2.99 +5.6%
2008 3.16 +5.8%
2009 3.28 +3.8%
2010 3.35 +2.0%
2011 3.38 +0.9%
2012 3.42 +1.3%
2013 3.45 +0.9%
2014 3.47 +0.6%
2015 3.5 +0.9%
2016 3.55 +1.3%
2017 3.61 +1.7%
2018 3.7 +2.5%
2019 3.8 +2.7%
2020 3.92 +3.2%
2021 4.06 +3.5%
2022 4.22 +3.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2.46 1.53 3.28 10
2010s 3.52 3.35 3.8 10
2020s 4.07 3.92 4.22 3

Countries ranked near Southern Africa (African Union)

  1. 117 Luxembourg 7.43 compare
  2. 118 Myanmar 7.39 compare
  3. 119 Poland 7.15 compare
  4. 120 Lithuania 7.08 compare
  5. 120 South Africa 7.08 compare
  6. 122 Ghana 7 compare
  7. 123 Switzerland 6.96 compare

See the full ranking of 349 places →

More health data for Southern Africa (African Union)

All data for Southern Africa (African Union) →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Southern Africa (African Union)?
Prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 in Southern Africa (African Union) was 4.22 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Southern Africa (African Union)?
The highest recorded value was 4.22 in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 recorded in Southern Africa (African Union)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.53 in 2000.
How does Southern Africa (African Union) rank for prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2?
Southern Africa (African Union) ranks 120th out of 156 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of obesity among children aged 5-19 years, bmi > +2 rising or falling in Southern Africa (African Union)?
Over the last ten years it is up 23.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Southern Africa (African Union) 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 Southern Africa (African Union). 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/southern-africa-african-union/

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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