Obesity in adults — all countries

Obesity in adults — North America

Obesity in adults in North America in 2024 — 39.3%. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 27.6 pp.

2024 39.3% +0.2 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 39.3%2024
Period minimum 11.8%1980

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Obesity in adults — North America, 1980–202401020304019801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 11.8%1981: 12.3%1982: 12.9%1983: 13.5%1984: 14.1%1985: 14.8%1986: 15.4%1987: 16.1%1988: 16.8%1989: 17.5%1990: 18.2%1991: 19%1992: 19.8%1993: 20.6%1994: 21.4%1995: 22.3%1996: 23.1%1997: 24%1998: 24.9%1999: 25.8%2000: 26.8%2001: 27.7%2002: 28.6%2003: 29.5%2004: 30.4%2005: 31.2%2006: 32%2007: 32.8%2008: 33.5%2009: 34.1%2010: 34.7%2011: 35.2%2012: 35.7%2013: 36.1%2014: 36.5%2015: 36.9%2016: 37.3%2017: 37.6%2018: 37.9%2019: 38.2%2020: 38.4%2021: 38.7%2022: 38.9%2023: 39.1%2024: 39.3%
Change over the period: +27.6 pp Annual average: 0.63 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North America

North America 39.3%
World computed 16.1%
Obesity in adults — North America, by year North America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 39.3 +0.2 pp
2023 39.1 +0.2 pp
2022 38.9 +0.2 pp
2021 38.7 +0.2 pp
2020 38.4 +0.3 pp
2019 38.2 +0.3 pp
2018 37.9 +0.3 pp
2017 37.6 +0.3 pp
2016 37.3 +0.4 pp
2015 36.9 +0.4 pp
2014 36.5 +0.4 pp
2013 36.1 +0.4 pp
2012 35.7 +0.5 pp
2011 35.2 +0.5 pp
2010 34.7 +0.6 pp
2009 34.1 +0.6 pp
2008 33.5 +0.7 pp
2007 32.8 +0.8 pp
2006 32 +0.8 pp
2005 31.2 +0.8 pp
2004 30.4 +0.9 pp
2003 29.5 +0.9 pp
2002 28.6 +0.9 pp
2001 27.7 +0.9 pp
2000 26.8 +0.9 pp
1999 25.8 +0.9 pp
1998 24.9 +0.9 pp
1997 24 +0.9 pp
1996 23.1 +0.9 pp
1995 22.3 +0.9 pp
1994 21.4 +0.8 pp
1993 20.6 +0.8 pp
1992 19.8 +0.8 pp
1991 19 +0.8 pp
1990 18.2 +0.7 pp
1989 17.5 +0.7 pp
1988 16.8 +0.7 pp
1987 16.1 +0.7 pp
1986 15.4 +0.7 pp
1985 14.8 +0.6 pp
1984 14.1 +0.6 pp
1983 13.5 +0.6 pp
1982 12.9 +0.6 pp
1981 12.3 +0.6 pp
1980 11.8

About the indicator

The share of people aged 18 and over with a body mass index of 30 kg/m² and above. The series has been kept since 1980 and shows one of the fastest changes in the health of populations in the whole history of observation: in most countries the share has grown two- to threefold. The top of the ranking is held not by rich countries, as one might expect, but by the islands of Oceania and the Persian Gulf, where the shift to purchased food happened within one generation.

Important: The aggregate by country group is weighted by the whole population rather than the adult one: the share of adults differs between countries by a factor of about 1.5, so young countries get a slightly larger weight than they should.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.