Prevalence of obesity, female in Iceland
Iceland: Prevalence of obesity, female was 21.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Iceland, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of female population ages 18+.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 21.0% for prevalence of obesity, female in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Iceland peaked at 21.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.6%, in 1980.
Iceland ranks 123rd 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 Iceland, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.6% | — |
| 1981 | 7.8% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 8.1% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 8.3% | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 8.6% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 8.9% | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 9.2% | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 9.5% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 9.8% | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 10.1% | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 10.4% | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 10.8% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 11.2% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 11.5% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 11.9% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 12.7% | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 13.2% | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 13.6% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 14.0% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 15.2% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 15.6% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 16.0% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 16.3% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 16.6% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 17.2% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 17.5% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 17.7% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 18.6% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 18.8% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 19.0% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 19.3% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 19.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 19.7% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 20.0% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 20.2% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 20.5% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 20.8% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 21.0% | +1.3% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 21.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 78% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 21.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.2%, 99% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.8% | 7.6% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.2% | 10.4% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.1% | 14.4% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.7% | 17.7% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.5% | 20.0% | 21.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More gender data for Iceland
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 69.14 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.228 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 345.21 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 345.21 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7736 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 2,155 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2,290 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 2,184 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2,324 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 2,211 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Iceland?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Iceland was 21.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.6% in 1980.
- How does Iceland rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Iceland ranks 123rd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.