Prevalence of overweight in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Prevalence of overweight was 60.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
60.8%
Change on year
up 1.4%
Rank
10th
of 43 groups
All-time high
60.8%
in 2022
All-time low
34.2%
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022

Prevalence of overweight in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1990–2022

02040601990200620221990: 34.2 % of adults1991: 35 % of adults1992: 35.7 % of adults1993: 36.5 % of adults1994: 37.3 % of adults1995: 38.1 % of adults1996: 38.9 % of adults1997: 39.7 % of adults1998: 40.6 % of adults1999: 41.5 % of adults2000: 42.4 % of adults2001: 43.3 % of adults2002: 44.1 % of adults2003: 45 % of adults2004: 45.9 % of adults2005: 46.7 % of adults2006: 47.5 % of adults2007: 48.4 % of adults2008: 49.2 % of adults2009: 50 % of adults2010: 50.7 % of adults2011: 51.5 % of adults2012: 52.4 % of adults2013: 53.2 % of adults2014: 54.1 % of adults2015: 55 % of adults2016: 55.9 % of adults2017: 56.7 % of adults2018: 57.6 % of adults2019: 58.4 % of adults2020: 59.2 % of adults2021: 60 % of adults2022: 60.8 % of adults

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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 60.8%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 60.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 34.2%, in 1990.

That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 10th out of 43 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Prevalence of overweight in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of overweight (% of adults) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1990 to 2022.
Year % of adults Change
1990 34.2%
1991 35.0% +2.2%
1992 35.7% +2.2%
1993 36.5% +2.1%
1994 37.3% +2.1%
1995 38.1% +2.2%
1996 38.9% +2.1%
1997 39.7% +2.2%
1998 40.6% +2.2%
1999 41.5% +2.2%
2000 42.4% +2.2%
2001 43.3% +2.1%
2002 44.1% +2.0%
2003 45.0% +2.0%
2004 45.9% +1.9%
2005 46.7% +1.8%
2006 47.5% +1.8%
2007 48.4% +1.8%
2008 49.2% +1.7%
2009 50.0% +1.6%
2010 50.7% +1.5%
2011 51.5% +1.6%
2012 52.4% +1.6%
2013 53.2% +1.7%
2014 54.1% +1.6%
2015 55.0% +1.7%
2016 55.9% +1.7%
2017 56.7% +1.5%
2018 57.6% +1.4%
2019 58.4% +1.4%
2020 59.2% +1.4%
2021 60.0% +1.3%
2022 60.8% +1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 37.7% 34.2% 41.5% 10
2000s 46.2% 42.4% 50.0% 10
2010s 54.5% 50.7% 58.4% 10
2020s 60.0% 59.2% 60.8% 3

Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

  1. 7 Chile 78.8% compare
  2. 8 Kuwait 77.8% compare
  3. 9 Qatar 76.6% compare
  4. 10 Bahamas 75.8% compare
  5. 11 Saint Kitts and Nevis 75.5% compare
  6. 12 French Polynesia 73.6% compare
  7. 13 Puerto Rico 73.5% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More health data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of overweight in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
Prevalence of overweight in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 60.8% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).
What is the highest prevalence of overweight recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
The highest recorded value was 60.8% in 2022.
What is the lowest prevalence of overweight recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
The lowest recorded value was 34.2% in 1990.
How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for prevalence of overweight?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 10th out of 43 groups with data for 2022.
Is prevalence of overweight rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan. 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-percent-of-adults/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/

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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.