Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in China
China: Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese was 6.0% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in China, 1975–2014
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
China recorded 6.0% for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in 2014. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.2% on the previous year and down 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in China peaked at 14.6% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 2014.
China ranks 66th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 14.6% | — |
| 1976 | 14.4% | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 14.2% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 14.0% | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 13.8% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 13.7% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 13.5% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 13.3% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 12.9% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 12.7% | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 12.3% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 12.1% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 11.9% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 11.7% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 11.5% | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 11.3% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 10.9% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 10.7% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 10.5% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 10.3% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 10.0% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 9.8% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 9.5% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 9.2% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 9.0% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 8.7% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 7.6% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 7.1% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 6.6% | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 6.2% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 6.0% | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.2% | 13.8% | 14.6% | 5 |
| 1980s | 12.8% | 11.9% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.8% | 9.8% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.3% | 7.1% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % 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 share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in China?
- Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in China was 6.0% in 2014, according to NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 14.6% in 1975.
- What is the lowest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 2014.
- How does China rank for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese?
- China ranks 66th out of 198 countries with data for 2014.
- Is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of women (% of adult population), who are underweight, healthy/normal, overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI). Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight divided by their height squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as underweight; 18.6 to 25.0 as normal/healthy; 25.1 to 30 as overweight; and >30.0 as obese.