Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Ghana
Ghana: Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese was 6.6% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Ghana, 1975–2014
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Ghana is 6.6%, measured in 2014. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Ghana peaked at 12.3% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 6.6%, in 2014.
That places Ghana 62nd out of 198 countries with data for 2014, putting it 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 12.3% | — |
| 1976 | 12.1% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 12.0% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 11.8% | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 11.7% | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 11.6% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 11.5% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 11.4% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 11.2% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 11.1% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 10.9% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 10.8% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 10.7% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 10.5% | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 10.4% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 10.2% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 10.1% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 9.9% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 9.8% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 9.6% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 9.4% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 9.3% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 9.1% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 8.9% | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 8.7% | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 7.8% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 7.7% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 7.5% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 7.4% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 7.2% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 6.7% | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 6.6% | -1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% | 5 |
| 1980s | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.8% | 9.1% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.9% | 6.6% | 7.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 59 Brunei Darussalam 7.1% compare
- 60 Gabon 7.0% compare
- 61 Chinese Taipei 6.7% compare
- 63 Cameroon 6.4% compare
- 64 Botswana 6.3% compare
- 65 Hong Kong, China 6.1% compare
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5623 % 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 0.06 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5816 % 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 Ghana?
- Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in Ghana was 6.6% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 12.3% in 1975.
- What is the lowest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.6% in 2014.
- How does Ghana rank for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese?
- Ghana ranks 62nd out of 198 countries with data for 2014.
- Is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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.