Prevalence of overweight in European Union
European Union: Prevalence of overweight was 51.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of overweight in European Union, 1990–2022
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of overweight in European Union is 51.2%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight in European Union peaked at 51.4% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 45.5%, in 1990.
European Union ranks 19th of 43 groups 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 in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 45.5% | — |
| 1991 | 45.8% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 46.1% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 46.4% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 46.7% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 47.0% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 47.3% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 47.7% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 48.1% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 48.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 49.2% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 49.9% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 50.2% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 50.5% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 50.8% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 51.0% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 51.2% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 51.3% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 51.4% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 51.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 51.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 51.2% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 51.2% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.9% | 45.5% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.3% | 48.8% | 51.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.4% | 51.3% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.2% | 51.2% | 51.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 16 Iraq 73.2% compare
- 17 Marshall Islands 73.2% compare
- 18 Belize 72.8% compare
- 19 United States of America 72.4% compare
- 20 Saudi Arabia 71.8% compare
- 21 Micronesia, Federated States of 71.7% compare
- 22 Panama 71.6% compare
More health data for European Union
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0291 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate -0.1087 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0318 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate -0.3683 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0304 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate -2.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, female, per capita 0.0269 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, male, annual growth rate -0.6156 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of overweight in European Union?
- Prevalence of overweight in European Union was 51.2% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).
- What is the highest prevalence of overweight recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 51.4% in 2012.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.5% in 1990.
- How does European Union rank for prevalence of overweight?
- European Union ranks 19th out of 43 groups with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of overweight rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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 (% of adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Prevalence of overweight adults is the percentage of adults 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.