Prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden
Sweden: Prevalence of obesity, female was 16.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of female population ages 18+.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden is 16.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden peaked at 16.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1980.
Sweden ranks 153rd of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.5% | — |
| 1981 | 7.7% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 7.8% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 8.0% | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 8.2% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 8.4% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 8.6% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 8.9% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 9.2% | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 9.4% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 9.6% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 9.8% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 10.1% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 10.3% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 10.6% | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 10.9% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 11.2% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 11.5% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 11.8% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 12.1% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 12.3% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 12.6% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 12.8% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 13.3% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 13.7% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 13.8% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 14.0% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 14.1% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 14.3% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 14.5% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 14.6% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 14.9% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 15.2% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 15.4% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 15.6% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 16.0% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 16.2% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 16.4% | +1.4% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 16.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 27.1%, 61% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 16.4% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.2%, 78% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.3% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.5% | 9.4% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.1% | 12.1% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.7% | 14.1% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.0% | 15.6% | 16.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More gender data for Sweden
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,663 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.5 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 9,179 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 9,179 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6078 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 47,810 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 50,483 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 48,381 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 51,112 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 50,315 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Sweden was 16.4% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 16.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1980.
- How does Sweden rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Sweden ranks 153rd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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.