Prevalence of obesity, female in New Zealand
New Zealand: Prevalence of obesity, female was 35.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in New Zealand, 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 New Zealand stood at 35.7%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in New Zealand peaked at 35.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 1980.
That places New Zealand 59th 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 New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.2% | — |
| 1981 | 8.8% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 9.3% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 9.8% | +5.9% |
| 1984 | 10.4% | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 11.0% | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 11.6% | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 12.3% | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 12.9% | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 13.6% | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 14.3% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 15.1% | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 15.8% | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 16.6% | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 17.4% | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 18.1% | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 18.9% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 19.8% | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 20.6% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 23.0% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 23.7% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 24.5% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 25.2% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 25.9% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 26.5% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 27.2% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 27.8% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 28.4% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 29.0% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 29.5% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 30.0% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 30.5% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 31.0% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 31.5% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 32.0% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 32.5% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 33.0% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 33.4% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 33.9% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 34.4% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 35.3% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 35.7% | +1.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 35.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 35.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.3%, 1.3× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.8% | 8.2% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.8% | 14.3% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.4% | 22.2% | 28.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.3% | 29.0% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.8% | 33.9% | 35.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More gender data for New Zealand
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 907.87 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.6435 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,499 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,499 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7305 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 28,751 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 30,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 29,075 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 30,663 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 29,141 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in New Zealand?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in New Zealand was 35.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 1980.
- How does New Zealand rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- New Zealand ranks 59th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.