Obesity in adults — all countries

Obesity in adults — United Kingdom

Obesity in adults in the United Kingdom in 2024 — 27.4%. Ranked 122 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 20.4 pp.

2024 27.4% +0.2 pp vs 2023
World rank 122of 199
Period maximum 27.4%2024
Period minimum 6.9%1980

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Obesity in adults — United Kingdom, 1980–2024010203019801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 6.9%1981: 7.3%1982: 7.8%1983: 8.2%1984: 8.7%1985: 9.2%1986: 9.7%1987: 10.2%1988: 10.8%1989: 11.4%1990: 12%1991: 12.6%1992: 13.3%1993: 14%1994: 14.7%1995: 15.4%1996: 16.1%1997: 16.8%1998: 17.6%1999: 18.3%2000: 19.1%2001: 19.8%2002: 20.4%2003: 21.1%2004: 21.7%2005: 22.3%2006: 22.8%2007: 23.3%2008: 23.7%2009: 24.1%2010: 24.4%2011: 24.7%2012: 24.9%2013: 25.2%2014: 25.4%2015: 25.6%2016: 25.8%2017: 26%2018: 26.3%2019: 26.4%2020: 26.6%2021: 26.8%2022: 27%2023: 27.2%2024: 27.4%
Change over the period: +20.4 pp Annual average: 0.46 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

United Kingdom 27.4%
World computed 16.1%
Europe & Central Asia computed 21.1%
Northern Europe computed 24.8%
High-income countries computed 24.8%
Obesity in adults — United Kingdom, by year United Kingdom All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 27.4 +0.2 pp
2023 27.2 +0.2 pp
2022 27 +0.2 pp
2021 26.8 +0.2 pp
2020 26.6 +0.2 pp
2019 26.4 +0.2 pp
2018 26.3 +0.2 pp
2017 26 +0.2 pp
2016 25.8 +0.2 pp
2015 25.6 +0.2 pp
2014 25.4 +0.2 pp
2013 25.2 +0.2 pp
2012 24.9 +0.2 pp
2011 24.7 +0.3 pp
2010 24.4 +0.3 pp
2009 24.1 +0.4 pp
2008 23.7 +0.4 pp
2007 23.3 +0.5 pp
2006 22.8 +0.5 pp
2005 22.3 +0.6 pp
2004 21.7 +0.6 pp
2003 21.1 +0.7 pp
2002 20.4 +0.7 pp
2001 19.8 +0.7 pp
2000 19.1 +0.7 pp
1999 18.3 +0.7 pp
1998 17.6 +0.7 pp
1997 16.8 +0.7 pp
1996 16.1 +0.7 pp
1995 15.4 +0.7 pp
1994 14.7 +0.7 pp
1993 14 +0.7 pp
1992 13.3 +0.7 pp
1991 12.6 +0.6 pp
1990 12 +0.6 pp
1989 11.4 +0.6 pp
1988 10.8 +0.6 pp
1987 10.2 +0.5 pp
1986 9.7 +0.5 pp
1985 9.2 +0.5 pp
1984 8.7 +0.5 pp
1983 8.2 +0.5 pp
1982 7.8 +0.4 pp
1981 7.3 +0.4 pp
1980 6.9

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.