Prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium
Belgium: Prevalence of obesity, female was 22.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of female population ages 18+.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium stood at 22.0%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium peaked at 22.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1980.
Belgium ranks 116th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12.7% | — |
| 1981 | 12.7% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 12.8% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 12.8% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 12.8% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 12.9% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 12.9% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 13.0% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 13.1% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 13.2% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 13.3% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 13.5% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 13.6% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 13.8% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 14.0% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 15.1% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 15.6% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 15.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 16.4% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 17.9% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 18.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 18.5% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 18.8% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 19.4% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 20.1% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 20.4% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 20.8% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 21.2% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 21.6% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 22.0% | +1.9% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 22.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 81% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 22.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.2%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.9% | 12.7% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.8% | 13.2% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.0% | 14.9% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.7% | 17.4% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.2% | 20.4% | 22.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More gender data for Belgium
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,701 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.52 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 10,123 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 10,123 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.3629 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 49,723 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 52,153 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 50,100 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 52,519 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 53,460 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Belgium was 22.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 22.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1980.
- How does Belgium rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Belgium ranks 116th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository, published as part of Prevalence of obesity, female (% of female population ages 18+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Prevalence of obesity adult is the percentage of adults ages 18 and over whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is 30 kg/m² or higher. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height, or the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.