Prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea

North Korea: Prevalence of overweight, female was 40.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
40.8%
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
149th
of 196 countries
All-time high
40.8%
in 2022
All-time low
14.2%
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022

Prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea, 1990–2022

102030401990200620221990: 14.2 % of female adults1991: 14.8 % of female adults1992: 15.4 % of female adults1993: 16.1 % of female adults1994: 16.8 % of female adults1995: 17.4 % of female adults1996: 18.1 % of female adults1997: 18.8 % of female adults1998: 19.4 % of female adults1999: 20.1 % of female adults2000: 20.8 % of female adults2001: 21.6 % of female adults2002: 22.3 % of female adults2003: 23 % of female adults2004: 23.8 % of female adults2005: 24.5 % of female adults2006: 25.3 % of female adults2007: 26.1 % of female adults2008: 27 % of female adults2009: 27.8 % of female adults2010: 28.7 % of female adults2011: 29.6 % of female adults2012: 30.6 % of female adults2013: 31.5 % of female adults2014: 32.5 % of female adults2015: 33.5 % of female adults2016: 34.5 % of female adults2017: 35.6 % of female adults2018: 36.6 % of female adults2019: 37.6 % of female adults2020: 38.7 % of female adults2021: 39.7 % of female adults2022: 40.8 % of female adults

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Measured in % of female adults.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea is 40.8%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 33.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea peaked at 40.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 1990.

That places North Korea 149th out of 196 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

Prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of overweight, female (% of female adults) in North Korea, 1990 to 2022.
Year % of female adults Change
1990 14.2%
1991 14.8% +4.4%
1992 15.4% +4.3%
1993 16.1% +4.3%
1994 16.8% +4.1%
1995 17.4% +3.9%
1996 18.1% +3.8%
1997 18.8% +3.8%
1998 19.4% +3.6%
1999 20.1% +3.6%
2000 20.8% +3.4%
2001 21.6% +3.4%
2002 22.3% +3.3%
2003 23.0% +3.3%
2004 23.8% +3.3%
2005 24.5% +3.2%
2006 25.3% +3.2%
2007 26.1% +3.2%
2008 27.0% +3.2%
2009 27.8% +3.2%
2010 28.7% +3.2%
2011 29.6% +3.2%
2012 30.6% +3.2%
2013 31.5% +3.1%
2014 32.5% +3.2%
2015 33.5% +3.1%
2016 34.5% +3.0%
2017 35.6% +3.0%
2018 36.6% +2.9%
2019 37.6% +2.8%
2020 38.7% +2.8%
2021 39.7% +2.7%
2022 40.8% +2.6%

North Korea compared with similar countries

  • North Korea's 40.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 32.2%, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • North Korea's 40.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 57.8%, 70% of the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 17.1% 14.2% 20.1% 10
2000s 24.2% 20.8% 27.8% 10
2010s 33.1% 28.7% 37.6% 10
2020s 39.7% 38.7% 40.8% 3

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 146 Serbia 40.9% compare
  2. 147 Nigeria 40.9% compare
  3. 148 Tanzania 40.8% compare
  4. 150 Angola 40.5% compare
  5. 151 Senegal 40.0% compare
  6. 152 Togo 40.0% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More health data for North Korea

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea?
Prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea was 40.8% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).
What is the highest prevalence of overweight, female recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 40.8% in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, female recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 1990.
How does North Korea rank for prevalence of overweight, female?
North Korea ranks 149th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of overweight, female rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this North Korea data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/), published as part of Prevalence of overweight, female (% of female adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of overweight, female in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-overweight-female-percent-of-female-adults/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of overweight, female (% of female adults)
Unit
% of female adults
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
239 places, 7,896 data points, 1975–2022
Last refreshed

Prevalence of overweight female adults is the percentage of females ages 18 and over whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 25 kg/m2. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height, or the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.