Last updated September 18, 2024
Obesity poses a formidable challenge to global health, contributing significantly to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even certain types of cancer. As worldwide dietary patterns continue to shift towards an increased consumption of energy-dense foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, obesity rates have alarmingly risen almost threefold since the 1970s. Globally, about 13% of the world’s adult population (11% of men and 15% of women) was tagged as obese in 2016. The data on obesity rates by countries presents a critical insight not just into the health and lifestyle patterns within specific territories, but also their healthcare capacity, socio-economic climate, and food systems. Key findings from the data include:
According to the collected data, the ten countries with the highest rates of obesity among adults are Nauru, Cook Islands, Palau, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati, and Micronesia. Nauru sets the record for the highest adult obesity rate, with a staggering 61.0% of its population falling within this category. Following not too far behind, Cook Islands report a 55.9% obesity rate amongst adults. Third on the list is Palau, with a rate of 55.3% in adult obesity. The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu have a comparable situation, with obesity rates at 52.9% and 51.6% respectively. Niue was next, reporting a precise 50.0% obesity rate amongst adults. Rounding up the bottom four are Tonga (48.2%), Samoa (47.3%), Kiribati (46.0%), and Micronesia (45.8%). Although these nations have slightly lower rates than the others, the prevalence of obesity remains an overwhelming issue. 10 Countries with the Highest Obesity Rates:
The ten countries with the lowest obesity rates are Vietnam, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, India, Nepal, Japan, Ethiopia, South Korea, Eritrea, and Sri Lanka. Leading the list with the lowest rate of obesity is Vietnam, where only 2.1% of the adults have obesity. In Bangladesh, 3.6% of the adult population are reported to be obese, making it the second country with the lowest obesity rate. Timor-Leste reports an obesity rate of 3.8% among adults. India, known for its culture of Yoga and Ayurveda, has an adult obesity rate of merely 3.9%. In Nepal, 4.1% of adults are obese, whereas in Japan and Ethiopia, the obesity rates among adults are 4.3% and 4.5% respectively. South Korea boasts of an obesity rate as low as 4.7%. Eritrea has an adult obesity rate of 5% and lastly, having an obesity rate of 5.2%, Sri Lanka takes the tenth place in countries with the lowest obesity rates. The ten lowest obesity rates by countries is:
Ranked in World
#175
21.7%
Ranked in World
#85
27.4%
Ranked in World
#38
25.6%
Ranked in World
#50
Ranked in World
#155
18.9%
Ranked in World
#114
28.3%
Ranked in World
#31
20.2%
Ranked in World
#101
29.0%
Ranked in World
#27
20.1%
Ranked in World
#104
19.9%
Ranked in World
#107
31.6%
Ranked in World
#21
29.8%
Ranked in World
#25
Ranked in World
#189
23.1%
Ranked in World
#70
24.5%
Ranked in World
#58
22.1%
Ranked in World
#81
24.1%
Ranked in World
#61
Ranked in World
#141
Ranked in World
#167
20.2%
Ranked in World
#100
17.9%
Ranked in World
#117
18.9%
Ranked in World
#113
22.1%
Ranked in World
#80
14.1%
Ranked in World
#128
25.0%
Ranked in World
#53
Ranked in World
#174
Ranked in World
#177
11.4%
Ranked in World
#134
29.4%
Ranked in World
#26
11.8%
Ranked in World
#133
Ranked in World
#160
Ranked in World
#169
28.0%
Ranked in World
#32
Ranked in World
#168
22.3%
Ranked in World
#78
Ranked in World
#158
55.9%
Ranked in World
#2
25.7%
Ranked in World
#48
24.4%
Ranked in World
#59
24.6%
Ranked in World
#56
21.8%
Ranked in World
#83
26.0%
Ranked in World
#46
Ranked in World
#165
19.7%
Ranked in World
#109
13.5%
Ranked in World
#130
27.9%
Ranked in World
#34
27.6%
Ranked in World
#37
19.9%
Ranked in World
#106
32.0%
Ranked in World
#19
24.6%
Ranked in World
#57
Ranked in World
#157
Ranked in World
#182
21.2%
Ranked in World
#92
16.5%
Ranked in World
#123
Ranked in World
#184
30.2%
Ranked in World
#24
22.2%
Ranked in World
#79
21.6%
Ranked in World
#86
15.0%
Ranked in World
#126
10.3%
Ranked in World
#138
21.7%
Ranked in World
#84
22.3%
Ranked in World
#77
10.9%
Ranked in World
#135
24.9%
Ranked in World
#54
21.3%
Ranked in World
#90
21.2%
Ranked in World
#91
Ranked in World
#159
Ranked in World
#143
20.2%
Ranked in World
#103
22.7%
Ranked in World
#72
21.4%
Ranked in World
#88
26.4%
Ranked in World
#41
21.9%
Ranked in World
#82
Ranked in World
#187
Ranked in World
#163
25.8%
Ranked in World
#47
30.4%
Ranked in World
#23
25.3%
Ranked in World
#51
26.1%
Ranked in World
#45
19.9%
Ranked in World
#105
10.3%
Ranked in World
#137
24.7%
Ranked in World
#55
Ranked in World
#185
35.5%
Ranked in World
#13
21.0%
Ranked in World
#93
Ranked in World
#162
46.0%
Ranked in World
#9
37.9%
Ranked in World
#11
16.6%
Ranked in World
#121
Ranked in World
#180
23.6%
Ranked in World
#65
33.7%
Ranked in World
#16
16.6%
Ranked in World
#122
Ranked in World
#140
32.5%
Ranked in World
#17
26.3%
Ranked in World
#43
22.6%
Ranked in World
#74
Ranked in World
#179
Ranked in World
#172
15.6%
Ranked in World
#124
Ranked in World
#151
Ranked in World
#149
28.9%
Ranked in World
#29
52.9%
Ranked in World
#4
12.7%
Ranked in World
#131
10.8%
Ranked in World
#136
28.9%
Ranked in World
#28
45.8%
Ranked in World
#10
18.9%
Ranked in World
#112
20.6%
Ranked in World
#96
23.3%
Ranked in World
#66
26.1%
Ranked in World
#44
Ranked in World
#161
Ranked in World
#171
17.2%
Ranked in World
#118
61.0%
Ranked in World
#1
Ranked in World
#186
20.4%
Ranked in World
#98
30.8%
Ranked in World
#22
23.7%
Ranked in World
#64
Ranked in World
#176
Ranked in World
#144
50.0%
Ranked in World
#6
Ranked in World
#164
23.1%
Ranked in World
#69
27.0%
Ranked in World
#39
Ranked in World
#147
55.3%
Ranked in World
#3
22.7%
Ranked in World
#73
21.3%
Ranked in World
#89
20.3%
Ranked in World
#99
19.7%
Ranked in World
#108
Ranked in World
#166
23.1%
Ranked in World
#68
20.8%
Ranked in World
#94
35.1%
Ranked in World
#15
Ranked in World
#142
22.5%
Ranked in World
#75
23.1%
Ranked in World
#67
Ranked in World
#173
22.9%
Ranked in World
#71
19.7%
Ranked in World
#110
24.1%
Ranked in World
#62
47.3%
Ranked in World
#8
12.4%
Ranked in World
#132
35.4%
Ranked in World
#14
Ranked in World
#145
21.5%
Ranked in World
#87
14.0%
Ranked in World
#129
Ranked in World
#146
Ranked in World
#170
20.5%
Ranked in World
#97
20.2%
Ranked in World
#102
22.5%
Ranked in World
#76
Ranked in World
#154
28.3%
Ranked in World
#30
Ranked in World
#183
Ranked in World
#150
23.8%
Ranked in World
#63
Ranked in World
#181
Ranked in World
#148
26.4%
Ranked in World
#42
20.6%
Ranked in World
#95
19.5%
Ranked in World
#111
27.8%
Ranked in World
#36
14.2%
Ranked in World
#127
Ranked in World
#152
10.0%
Ranked in World
#139
Ranked in World
#188
Ranked in World
#153
48.2%
Ranked in World
#7
18.6%
Ranked in World
#116
26.9%
Ranked in World
#40
32.1%
Ranked in World
#18
18.6%
Ranked in World
#115
51.6%
Ranked in World
#5
Ranked in World
#178
24.1%
Ranked in World
#60
31.7%
Ranked in World
#20
27.8%
Ranked in World
#35
36.2%
Ranked in World
#12
27.9%
Ranked in World
#33
16.6%
Ranked in World
#120
25.2%
Ranked in World
#52
25.6%
Ranked in World
#49
Ranked in World
#190
17.1%
Ranked in World
#119
Ranked in World
#156
15.5%
Ranked in World
#125
Region ↕ | % of Obese Adults↕ |
---|---|
5.5% | |
21.7% | |
27.4% | |
25.6% | |
8.2% | |
18.9% | |
28.3% | |
20.2% | |
29.0% | |
20.1% | |
19.9% | |
31.6% | |
29.8% | |
3.6% | |
23.1% | |
24.5% | |
22.1% | |
24.1% | |
9.6% | |
6.4% | |
20.2% | |
17.9% | |
18.9% | |
22.1% | |
14.1% | |
25.0% | |
5.6% | |
5.4% | |
11.4% | |
29.4% | |
11.8% | |
7.5% | |
6.1% | |
28.0% | |
6.2% | |
22.3% | |
7.8% | |
55.9% | |
25.7% | |
24.4% | |
24.6% | |
21.8% | |
26.0% | |
6.7% | |
19.7% | |
13.5% | |
27.9% | |
27.6% | |
19.9% | |
32.0% | |
24.6% | |
8.0% | |
5.0% | |
21.2% | |
16.5% | |
4.5% | |
30.2% | |
22.2% | |
21.6% | |
15.0% | |
10.3% | |
21.7% | |
22.3% | |
10.9% | |
24.9% | |
21.3% | |
21.2% | |
7.7% | |
9.5% | |
20.2% | |
22.7% | |
21.4% | |
26.4% | |
21.9% | |
3.9% | |
6.9% | |
25.8% | |
30.4% | |
25.3% | |
26.1% | |
19.9% | |
10.3% | |
24.7% | |
4.3% | |
35.5% | |
21.0% | |
7.1% | |
46.0% | |
37.9% | |
16.6% | |
5.3% | |
23.6% | |
33.7% | |
16.6% | |
9.9% | |
32.5% | |
26.3% | |
22.6% | |
5.3% | |
5.8% | |
15.6% | |
8.6% | |
8.6% | |
28.9% | |
52.9% | |
12.7% | |
10.8% | |
28.9% | |
45.8% | |
18.9% | |
20.6% | |
23.3% | |
26.1% | |
7.2% | |
5.8% | |
17.2% | |
![]() | 61.0% |
4.1% | |
20.4% | |
30.8% | |
23.7% | |
5.5% | |
8.9% | |
50.0% | |
6.8% | |
23.1% | |
27.0% | |
8.6% | |
55.3% | |
22.7% | |
21.3% | |
20.3% | |
19.7% | |
6.4% | |
23.1% | |
20.8% | |
35.1% | |
9.6% | |
22.5% | |
23.1% | |
5.8% | |
22.9% | |
19.7% | |
24.1% | |
47.3% | |
12.4% | |
35.4% | |
8.8% | |
21.5% | |
14.0% | |
8.7% | |
6.1% | |
20.5% | |
20.2% | |
22.5% | |
8.3% | |
28.3% | |
4.7% | |
8.6% | |
23.8% | |
5.2% | |
8.6% | |
26.4% | |
20.6% | |
19.5% | |
27.8% | |
14.2% | |
8.4% | |
10.0% | |
3.8% | |
8.4% | |
48.2% | |
18.6% | |
26.9% | |
32.1% | |
18.6% | |
51.6% | |
5.3% | |
24.1% | |
31.7% | |
27.8% | |
36.2% | |
27.9% | |
16.6% | |
25.2% | |
25.6% | |
2.1% | |
17.1% | |
8.1% | |
15.5% |