Prevalence of obesity, female in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Prevalence of obesity, female was 17.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Bulgaria, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of female population ages 18+.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of obesity, female in Bulgaria is 17.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Bulgaria peaked at 17.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 1982.
That places Bulgaria 144th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.3% | — |
| 1981 | 13.2% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 13.2% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 13.2% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 13.2% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 13.3% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 13.3% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 13.3% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 13.3% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 13.4% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 13.5% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 13.7% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 13.8% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 13.9% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 14.4% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 14.8% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 15.2% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 15.4% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 15.6% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 15.8% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 16.0% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 16.2% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 16.4% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 16.6% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 16.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 16.9% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 17.0% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 17.1% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 17.1% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 17.2% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 17.2% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 17.2% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 17.3% | +0.1% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 17.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 64% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 17.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.2%, 81% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.3% | 13.2% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.6% | 13.3% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.1% | 14.2% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.8% | 16.2% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 17.2% | 17.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More gender data for Bulgaria
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 907.24 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.48 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 5,551 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 5,551 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate -0.7319 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 29,446 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 31,195 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 29,990 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 31,775 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 30,724 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Bulgaria?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Bulgaria was 17.3% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 17.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 1982.
- How does Bulgaria rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Bulgaria ranks 144th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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.