Prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: Prevalence of overweight was 37.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
37.0%
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
150th
of 196 countries
All-time high
37.0%
in 2022
All-time low
12.3%
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022

Prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1990–2022

1015202530351990200620221990: 12.3 % of adults1991: 12.8 % of adults1992: 13.3 % of adults1993: 13.8 % of adults1994: 14.3 % of adults1995: 14.9 % of adults1996: 15.4 % of adults1997: 16 % of adults1998: 16.6 % of adults1999: 17.3 % of adults2000: 17.9 % of adults2001: 18.6 % of adults2002: 19.2 % of adults2003: 19.9 % of adults2004: 20.7 % of adults2005: 21.4 % of adults2006: 22.2 % of adults2007: 23 % of adults2008: 23.8 % of adults2009: 24.6 % of adults2010: 25.4 % of adults2011: 26.3 % of adults2012: 27.1 % of adults2013: 28.1 % of adults2014: 29 % of adults2015: 29.9 % of adults2016: 30.9 % of adults2017: 31.9 % of adults2018: 32.9 % of adults2019: 33.9 % of adults2020: 34.9 % of adults2021: 36 % of adults2022: 37 % of adults

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

Analysis

In 2022, prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of stood at 37.0%. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 36.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of peaked at 37.0% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1990.

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 150th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

Prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of overweight (% of adults) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1990 to 2022.
Year % of adults Change
1990 12.3%
1991 12.8% +4.0%
1992 13.3% +3.9%
1993 13.8% +4.0%
1994 14.3% +3.9%
1995 14.9% +3.8%
1996 15.4% +3.8%
1997 16.0% +3.8%
1998 16.6% +3.8%
1999 17.3% +3.7%
2000 17.9% +3.7%
2001 18.6% +3.7%
2002 19.2% +3.7%
2003 19.9% +3.6%
2004 20.7% +3.6%
2005 21.4% +3.6%
2006 22.2% +3.6%
2007 23.0% +3.5%
2008 23.8% +3.5%
2009 24.6% +3.5%
2010 25.4% +3.4%
2011 26.3% +3.3%
2012 27.1% +3.4%
2013 28.1% +3.4%
2014 29.0% +3.4%
2015 29.9% +3.3%
2016 30.9% +3.3%
2017 31.9% +3.2%
2018 32.9% +3.1%
2019 33.9% +3.0%
2020 34.9% +3.0%
2021 36.0% +2.9%
2022 37.0% +2.9%

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of compared with similar countries

  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of's 37.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 24.2%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of's 37.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 55.9%, 66% of the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 14.7% 12.3% 17.3% 10
2000s 21.1% 17.9% 24.6% 10
2010s 29.5% 25.4% 33.9% 10
2020s 36.0% 34.9% 37.0% 3

Countries ranked near Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

  1. 147 Liberia 37.9% compare
  2. 148 China 37.5% compare
  3. 149 Yemen 37.3% compare
  4. 151 Ghana 36.7% compare
  5. 152 Namibia 36.5% compare
  6. 153 Korea 35.9% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More health data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

All data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
Prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of was 37.0% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).
What is the highest prevalence of overweight recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of overweight recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1990.
How does Korea, Democratic People's Republic of rank for prevalence of overweight?
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 150th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of overweight rising or falling in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
Over the last ten years it is up 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 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.

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Prevalence of overweight in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-overweight-percent-of-adults/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of overweight (% of adults)
Unit
% of 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 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.