Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Thailand
Thailand: Prevalence of overweight, weight for height was 10.9% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Thailand, 1987–2022
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
In 2022, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Thailand stood at 10.9%. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.5% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Thailand peaked at 10.9% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1987.
That places Thailand 12th out of 93 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1.2% | — |
| 1995 | 4.7% | +291.7% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | +70.2% |
| 2012 | 10.9% | +36.3% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | -24.8% |
| 2019 | 9.2% | +12.2% |
| 2022 | 10.9% | +18.5% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 10.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.6%, 1.4× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 10.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.9%, 2.2× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 9.4% | 8.2% | 10.9% | 3 |
| 2020s | 10.9% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More health data for Thailand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.6 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0316 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,582 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 677 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.01 % 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 0.0201 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.97 % 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 Thailand?
- Prevalence of overweight, weight for height in Thailand was 10.9% in 2022, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 10.9% in 2012.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight, weight for height recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1987.
- How does Thailand rank for prevalence of overweight, weight for height?
- Thailand ranks 12th out of 93 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of overweight, weight for height rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Thailand data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of overweight, weight for height (% 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.