Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Gambia
Gambia: Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese was 11.1% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Gambia, 1975–2014
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Gambia recorded 11.1% for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in 2014. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Gambia peaked at 16.8% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 11.1%, in 2014.
That places Gambia 32nd out of 198 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Gambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 16.8% | — |
| 1976 | 16.7% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 16.5% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 16.3% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 16.2% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 16.0% | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 15.8% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 15.6% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 15.5% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 15.3% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 15.2% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 15.1% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 14.9% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 14.8% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 14.6% | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 14.5% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 14.1% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 13.9% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 13.8% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 13.4% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 12.9% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 12.7% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 12.4% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 12.2% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 12.1% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 11.9% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 11.8% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 11.7% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 11.5% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 11.2% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 11.1% | -0.9% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 11.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 11.8%, 94% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 11.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.9%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.5% | 16.2% | 16.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 15.4% | 14.8% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.9% | 13.1% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.2% | 11.6% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.3% | 11.1% | 11.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 29 Djibouti 11.6% compare
- 30 Guinea 11.2% compare
- 30 Guinea-Bissau 11.2% compare
- 33 Tanzania, United Republic of 10.9% compare
- 34 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 10.8% compare
- 35 Sierra Leone 10.6% compare
More health data for Gambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,044 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 700 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9696 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0686 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9636 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Gambia?
- Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Gambia was 11.1% 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 Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 16.8% in 1975.
- What is the lowest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.1% in 2014.
- How does Gambia rank for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese?
- Gambia ranks 32nd out of 198 countries with data for 2014.
- Is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gambia 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.