Obesity in adults — all countries

Obesity in adults — Saudi Arabia

Obesity in adults in Saudi Arabia in 2024 — 40.1%. Ranked 177 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 24.3 pp.

2024 40.1% +0.3 pp vs 2023
World rank 177of 199
Period maximum 40.1%2024
Period minimum 15.8%1980

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Obesity in adults — Saudi Arabia, 1980–2024102030405019801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 15.8%1981: 16.2%1982: 16.7%1983: 17.1%1984: 17.6%1985: 18.1%1986: 18.6%1987: 19.1%1988: 19.6%1989: 20.2%1990: 20.8%1991: 21.3%1992: 21.9%1993: 22.5%1994: 23.1%1995: 23.7%1996: 24.4%1997: 25.1%1998: 25.8%1999: 26.6%2000: 27.3%2001: 28%2002: 28.7%2003: 29.4%2004: 30.1%2005: 30.7%2006: 31.4%2007: 32%2008: 32.7%2009: 33.4%2010: 34%2011: 34.6%2012: 35.1%2013: 35.7%2014: 36.1%2015: 36.6%2016: 37.1%2017: 37.5%2018: 38%2019: 38.4%2020: 38.8%2021: 39.2%2022: 39.5%2023: 39.8%2024: 40.1%
Change over the period: +24.3 pp Annual average: 0.55 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia 40.1%
World computed 16.1%
Western Asia computed 30.7%
High-income countries computed 24.8%
Obesity in adults — Saudi Arabia, by year Saudi Arabia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 40.1 +0.3 pp
2023 39.8 +0.2 pp
2022 39.5 +0.3 pp
2021 39.2 +0.4 pp
2020 38.8 +0.4 pp
2019 38.4 +0.4 pp
2018 38 +0.5 pp
2017 37.5 +0.5 pp
2016 37.1 +0.5 pp
2015 36.6 +0.5 pp
2014 36.1 +0.5 pp
2013 35.7 +0.5 pp
2012 35.1 +0.6 pp
2011 34.6 +0.6 pp
2010 34 +0.6 pp
2009 33.4 +0.7 pp
2008 32.7 +0.7 pp
2007 32 +0.7 pp
2006 31.4 +0.7 pp
2005 30.7 +0.7 pp
2004 30.1 +0.7 pp
2003 29.4 +0.7 pp
2002 28.7 +0.7 pp
2001 28 +0.7 pp
2000 27.3 +0.7 pp
1999 26.6 +0.7 pp
1998 25.8 +0.7 pp
1997 25.1 +0.7 pp
1996 24.4 +0.7 pp
1995 23.7 +0.6 pp
1994 23.1 +0.6 pp
1993 22.5 +0.6 pp
1992 21.9 +0.6 pp
1991 21.3 +0.6 pp
1990 20.8 +0.6 pp
1989 20.2 +0.6 pp
1988 19.6 +0.5 pp
1987 19.1 +0.5 pp
1986 18.6 +0.5 pp
1985 18.1 +0.5 pp
1984 17.6 +0.5 pp
1983 17.1 +0.5 pp
1982 16.7 +0.4 pp
1981 16.2 +0.4 pp
1980 15.8

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.