Obesity in adults — all countries

Obesity in adults — United Arab Emirates

Obesity in adults in the United Arab Emirates in 2024 — 31.6%. Ranked 147 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 18.8 pp.

2024 31.6% −0.1 pp vs 2023
World rank 147of 199
Period maximum 32%2017
Period minimum 12.8%1980

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Obesity in adults — United Arab Emirates, 1980–202410152025303519801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 12.8%1981: 13.3%1982: 13.9%1983: 14.5%1984: 15.1%1985: 15.7%1986: 16.3%1987: 16.9%1988: 17.5%1989: 18.1%1990: 18.7%1991: 19.3%1992: 19.9%1993: 20.6%1994: 21.2%1995: 21.9%1996: 22.6%1997: 23.4%1998: 24.1%1999: 24.8%2000: 25.5%2001: 26.2%2002: 26.8%2003: 27.4%2004: 28%2005: 28.5%2006: 29%2007: 29.4%2008: 29.8%2009: 30.2%2010: 30.7%2011: 31%2012: 31.2%2013: 31.4%2014: 31.6%2015: 31.8%2016: 31.9%2017: 32%2018: 32%2019: 31.9%2020: 31.9%2021: 31.9%2022: 31.8%2023: 31.7%2024: 31.6%
Change over the period: +18.8 pp Annual average: 0.43 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates 31.6%
World computed 16.1%
Western Asia computed 30.7%
High-income countries computed 24.8%
Obesity in adults — United Arab Emirates, by year United Arab Emirates All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 31.6 −0.1 pp
2023 31.7 −0.1 pp
2022 31.8 −0.1 pp
2021 31.9 −0 pp
2020 31.9 −0 pp
2019 31.9 −0.1 pp
2018 32 −0 pp
2017 32 +0.1 pp
2016 31.9 +0.2 pp
2015 31.8 +0.2 pp
2014 31.6 +0.2 pp
2013 31.4 +0.2 pp
2012 31.2 +0.3 pp
2011 31 +0.3 pp
2010 30.7 +0.4 pp
2009 30.2 +0.4 pp
2008 29.8 +0.4 pp
2007 29.4 +0.4 pp
2006 29 +0.5 pp
2005 28.5 +0.5 pp
2004 28 +0.6 pp
2003 27.4 +0.6 pp
2002 26.8 +0.6 pp
2001 26.2 +0.7 pp
2000 25.5 +0.7 pp
1999 24.8 +0.7 pp
1998 24.1 +0.7 pp
1997 23.4 +0.7 pp
1996 22.6 +0.7 pp
1995 21.9 +0.7 pp
1994 21.2 +0.7 pp
1993 20.6 +0.6 pp
1992 19.9 +0.6 pp
1991 19.3 +0.6 pp
1990 18.7 +0.6 pp
1989 18.1 +0.6 pp
1988 17.5 +0.6 pp
1987 16.9 +0.5 pp
1986 16.3 +0.6 pp
1985 15.7 +0.7 pp
1984 15.1 +0.6 pp
1983 14.5 +0.6 pp
1982 13.9 +0.6 pp
1981 13.3 +0.5 pp
1980 12.8

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.