Prevalence of overweight, male in South Korea
South Korea: Prevalence of overweight, male was 46.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of overweight, male in South Korea, 1990–2022
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Measured in % of male adults.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of overweight, male in South Korea stood at 46.0%. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 24.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, male in South Korea peaked at 46.0% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 21.1%, in 1990.
That places South Korea 125th 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 South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21.1% | — |
| 1991 | 21.9% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 22.6% | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 23.4% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 24.2% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 25.0% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 25.8% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 26.5% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 27.3% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 28.1% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 29.0% | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 29.8% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 30.6% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 31.4% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 32.1% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 32.8% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 33.4% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 34.0% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 34.6% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 35.1% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 35.7% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 36.2% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 36.9% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 37.6% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 38.3% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 39.2% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 40.1% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 41.0% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 41.9% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 42.9% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 43.9% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 44.9% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 46.0% | +2.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 46.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 65.9%, 70% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 46.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 52.7%, 87% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.6% | 21.1% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.3% | 29.0% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.0% | 35.7% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.9% | 43.9% | 46.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More health data for South Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,072 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % 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 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % 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, male in South Korea?
- Prevalence of overweight, male in South Korea was 46.0% 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 46.0% in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, male recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.1% in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for prevalence of overweight, male?
- South Korea ranks 125th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of overweight, male rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.