Prevalence of obesity, female in Jamaica
Jamaica: Prevalence of obesity, female was 50.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Jamaica, 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 Jamaica stood at 50.1%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Jamaica peaked at 50.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 1980.
Jamaica ranks 16th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity, female in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 10.7% | — |
| 1981 | 11.2% | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 11.8% | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 12.3% | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 12.9% | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 13.5% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 14.8% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 15.4% | +4.6% |
| 1989 | 16.1% | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 16.9% | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 17.6% | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 18.4% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 19.3% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 20.2% | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 21.1% | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 22.0% | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 23.0% | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 24.1% | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 25.2% | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 26.3% | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 27.4% | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 28.5% | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 30.6% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 31.7% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 33.7% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 34.8% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 35.8% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 36.8% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 37.8% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 38.8% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 39.8% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 40.8% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 41.7% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 42.7% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 43.6% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 44.6% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 45.5% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 46.5% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 47.4% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 48.3% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 49.2% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 50.1% | +1.8% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 50.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 32.7%, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 50.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 40.0%, 1.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.3% | 10.7% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.8% | 16.9% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.1% | 26.3% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.2% | 36.8% | 45.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.3% | 46.5% | 50.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 13 French Polynesia 50.9% compare
- 14 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 50.2% compare
- 15 Qatar 50.1% compare
- 17 Barbados 50.0% compare
- 18 Fiji 48.8% compare
- 19 Saint Lucia 47.8% compare
More gender data for Jamaica
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 468.29 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.89 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 2,341 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 2,341 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0684 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 15,460 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 16,015 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 15,603 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 16,169 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 15,800 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Jamaica?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Jamaica was 50.1% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 50.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 1980.
- How does Jamaica rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Jamaica ranks 16th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.