Prevalence of obesity, female in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Prevalence of obesity, female was 21.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, female in Zimbabwe, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of female population ages 18+.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 21.3% for prevalence of obesity, female in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, female in Zimbabwe peaked at 21.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.9%, in 1981.
That places Zimbabwe 120th 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of female population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.9% | — |
| 1981 | 9.9% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 9.9% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 9.9% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 10.0% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 10.0% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 10.0% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 10.0% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 10.1% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 10.1% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 10.2% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 10.2% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 10.3% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 10.4% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 10.5% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 10.7% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 10.9% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 11.4% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 11.9% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 12.2% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 12.9% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 13.2% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 13.6% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 13.9% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 14.3% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 14.7% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 15.1% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 15.5% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 16.4% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 16.9% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 17.4% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 17.9% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 18.4% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 18.9% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 19.4% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 20.3% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 20.8% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 21.3% | +2.5% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 21.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 89% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 21.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.0% | 9.9% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.4% | 10.1% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.7% | 11.4% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.7% | 14.7% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.3% | 19.4% | 21.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More gender data for Zimbabwe
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 6,958 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.695 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 11,652 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 11,652 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.58 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 239,901 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 244,202 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 236,403 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 240,452 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 234,239 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, female in Zimbabwe?
- Prevalence of obesity, female in Zimbabwe was 21.3% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO):Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 21.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, female recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.9% in 1981.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for prevalence of obesity, female?
- Zimbabwe ranks 120th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, female rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.