Prevalence of obesity, female in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Prevalence of obesity, female was 46.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Saudi Arabia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of female population ages 18+.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 46.7% for prevalence of obesity, female in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Saudi Arabia peaked at 46.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.3%, in 1980.
That places Saudi Arabia 24th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity, female in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 22.3% | — |
| 1981 | 22.9% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 23.9% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 24.5% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 25.1% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 25.7% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 26.2% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 26.9% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 27.5% | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 28.1% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 28.8% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 29.4% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 30.1% | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 30.8% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 31.5% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 32.2% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 33.0% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 34.5% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 35.3% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 36.1% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 36.9% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 37.6% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 38.4% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 39.0% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 39.6% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 40.2% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 40.8% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 41.4% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 41.9% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 42.4% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 42.9% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 43.4% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 43.9% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 44.3% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 44.7% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 45.1% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 45.4% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 45.6% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 45.9% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 46.1% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 46.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 46.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 46.7% | +0.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 46.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 1.7× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 46.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 38.4%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 24.8% | 22.3% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.2% | 28.1% | 34.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.5% | 35.3% | 41.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.0% | 41.9% | 45.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.3% | 45.9% | 46.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More gender data for Saudi Arabia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 8,519 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.7629 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 28,924 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 28,924 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 275,243 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 288,722 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 275,525 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 288,548 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 263,011 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Saudi Arabia?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Saudi Arabia was 46.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.3% in 1980.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 24th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.