Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 in South Africa
South Africa: Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 was 55.05 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
55.05
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
99th
of 193 countries
All-time high
55.05
in 2022
All-time low
39.19
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 in South Africa, 1990–2022
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 in South Africa is 55.05, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 in South Africa peaked at 55.05 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 39.19, in 1990.
South Africa ranks 99th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 39.19 | — |
| 1991 | 40.01 | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 40.91 | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 41.88 | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 42.84 | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 43.78 | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 44.71 | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 45.55 | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 46.3 | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 47.05 | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 47.78 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 48.51 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 49.23 | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 49.94 | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 50.63 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 51.28 | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 51.88 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 52.42 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 52.88 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 53.26 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 53.56 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 53.78 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 53.95 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 54.08 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 54.17 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 54.22 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 54.33 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 54.48 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 54.59 | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 54.69 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 54.8 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 54.92 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 55.05 | +0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 55.05 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.16, 92% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 55.05 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 32.77, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.22 | 39.19 | 47.05 | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.78 | 47.78 | 53.26 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.19 | 53.56 | 54.69 | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.92 | 54.8 | 55.05 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % 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 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 in South Africa?
- Prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 in South Africa was 55.05 in 2022, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 55.05 in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.19 in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25?
- South Africa ranks 99th out of 193 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of overweight among adults, bmi ≥ 25 rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Prevalence of overweight among adults, BMI ≥ 25 (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).