Prevalence of obesity, female in Gambia
Gambia: Prevalence of obesity, female was 19.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Prevalence of obesity, female in Gambia, 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 Gambia stood at 19.0%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.3% on the previous year and up 58.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Gambia peaked at 19.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1980.
That places Gambia 132nd out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Prevalence of obesity, female in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.2% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +6.6% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | +7.0% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | +6.8% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | +7.0% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | +7.2% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | +7.6% |
| 1992 | 2.7% | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 3.0% | +7.7% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +7.8% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | +8.4% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | +8.8% |
| 1998 | 4.4% | +8.6% |
| 1999 | 4.8% | +9.1% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | +8.9% |
| 2001 | 5.7% | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 6.7% | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 8.6% | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 9.1% | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 9.6% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 10.5% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 10.9% | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 11.4% | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 12.0% | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 12.6% | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 13.2% | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 13.8% | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 14.5% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 15.2% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 15.9% | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 16.7% | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 18.2% | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 19.0% | +4.3% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 19.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.1%, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 19.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.4% | 2.4% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 5.2% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.4% | 10.0% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 15.9% | 19.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More gender data for Gambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,149 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.4019 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1,981 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1,981 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.94 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 39,680 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 40,675 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 39,327 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 40,247 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 38,827 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Gambia?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Gambia was 19.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1980.
- How does Gambia rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Gambia ranks 132nd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Gambia 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.
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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.