Prevalence of overweight, male in North Korea

North Korea: Prevalence of overweight, male was 33.3% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
33.3%
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
140th
of 196 countries
All-time high
33.3%
in 2022
All-time low
10.0%
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022

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

1015202530351990200620221990: 10 % of male adults1991: 10.4 % of male adults1992: 10.7 % of male adults1993: 11.1 % of male adults1994: 11.6 % of male adults1995: 12 % of male adults1996: 12.5 % of male adults1997: 13 % of male adults1998: 13.5 % of male adults1999: 14.1 % of male adults2000: 14.7 % of male adults2001: 15.3 % of male adults2002: 16 % of male adults2003: 16.6 % of male adults2004: 17.4 % of male adults2005: 18.1 % of male adults2006: 18.8 % of male adults2007: 19.6 % of male adults2008: 20.4 % of male adults2009: 21.2 % of male adults2010: 22 % of male adults2011: 22.8 % of male adults2012: 23.6 % of male adults2013: 24.5 % of male adults2014: 25.4 % of male adults2015: 26.3 % of male adults2016: 27.2 % of male adults2017: 28.2 % of male adults2018: 29.2 % of male adults2019: 30.2 % of male adults2020: 31.2 % of male adults2021: 32.2 % of male adults2022: 33.3 % of male adults

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of overweight, male in North Korea is 33.3%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 40.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, male in North Korea peaked at 33.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 1990.

That places North Korea 140th out of 196 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

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

Annual values for Prevalence of overweight, male (% of male adults) in North Korea, 1990 to 2022.
Year % of male adults Change
1990 10.0%
1991 10.4% +3.5%
1992 10.7% +3.6%
1993 11.1% +3.6%
1994 11.6% +3.9%
1995 12.0% +3.8%
1996 12.5% +4.0%
1997 13.0% +4.1%
1998 13.5% +4.2%
1999 14.1% +4.2%
2000 14.7% +4.2%
2001 15.3% +4.3%
2002 16.0% +4.2%
2003 16.6% +4.3%
2004 17.4% +4.2%
2005 18.1% +4.2%
2006 18.8% +4.2%
2007 19.6% +4.1%
2008 20.4% +3.9%
2009 21.2% +3.9%
2010 22.0% +3.7%
2011 22.8% +3.7%
2012 23.6% +3.6%
2013 24.5% +3.7%
2014 25.4% +3.7%
2015 26.3% +3.7%
2016 27.2% +3.6%
2017 28.2% +3.6%
2018 29.2% +3.5%
2019 30.2% +3.4%
2020 31.2% +3.3%
2021 32.2% +3.3%
2022 33.3% +3.2%

North Korea compared with similar countries

  • North Korea's 33.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • North Korea's 33.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 52.7%, 63% of the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 11.9% 10.0% 14.1% 10
2000s 17.8% 14.7% 21.2% 10
2010s 25.9% 22.0% 30.2% 10
2020s 32.2% 31.2% 33.3% 3

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 137 South Africa 37.2% compare
  2. 138 Gabon 35.2% compare
  3. 139 Gambia 35.1% compare
  4. 141 Yemen 33.0% compare
  5. 142 Sao Tome and Principe 32.7% compare
  6. 143 Cameroon 32.3% compare
  7. 143 Japan 32.3% 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, male in North Korea?
Prevalence of overweight, male in North Korea was 33.3% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).
What is the highest prevalence of overweight, male recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 33.3% in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, male recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 1990.
How does North Korea rank for prevalence of overweight, male?
North Korea ranks 140th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of overweight, male rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 40.9%. 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, male (% of male adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of overweight, male in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Retrieved 19 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-overweight-male-percent-of-male-adults/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of overweight, male (% of male adults)
Unit
% of male 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 male adults is the percentage of males 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.