Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Finland
Finland: Prevalence of overweight, weight for height was 4.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Finland, 2000–2024
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
Finland recorded 4.7% for prevalence of overweight, weight for height in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Finland peaked at 4.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2001.
Finland ranks 97th of 163 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Finland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.9% | — |
| 2001 | 3.8% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4.0% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 4.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4.1% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 4.5% | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 4.7% | +2.2% |
Finland compared with similar countries
- Finland's 4.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.6%, 55% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Finland's 4.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.6%, 71% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 4.3% | 4.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Finland
More health data for Finland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4544 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,271 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 11 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4631 % 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 0.0202 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.1502 % 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, weight for height in Finland?
- Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Finland was 4.7% in 2024, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Finland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Finland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2001.
- How does Finland rank for prevalence of overweight, weight for height?
- Finland ranks 97th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of overweight, weight for height rising or falling in Finland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Finland data come from?
- The figures come from Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Prevalence of overweight, weight for height (modeled estimate, % of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of overweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for height is more than two standard deviations above the median for the international reference population of the corresponding age as established by the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.