Prevalence of obesity, male in Belgium
Belgium: Prevalence of obesity, male was 19.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, male in Belgium, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO): Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of male population ages 18+.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of obesity, male in Belgium is 19.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, male in Belgium peaked at 19.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 1980.
That places Belgium 96th 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, male in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of male population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8.4% | — |
| 1981 | 8.6% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 8.8% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 9.1% | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 9.3% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 9.5% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 9.8% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 10.3% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 10.6% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 10.8% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 11.1% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 11.4% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 11.7% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 12.0% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 12.7% | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 13.0% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 13.4% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 13.8% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 16.5% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 16.8% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 17.0% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 17.5% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 17.6% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 17.7% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 17.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 18.0% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 18.1% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 18.6% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 18.8% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 19.0% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 19.2% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 19.5% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | +1.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 19.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 25.6%, 77% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 19.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.4%, 92% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.4% | 8.4% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.2% | 10.8% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.9% | 14.2% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 17.4% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.8% | 19.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More gender data for Belgium
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,701 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.52 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 10,123 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 10,123 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.3629 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 49,723 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 52,153 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 50,100 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 52,519 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 53,460 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, male in Belgium?
- Prevalence of obesity, male in Belgium was 19.7% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO): Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, male recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, male recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 1980.
- How does Belgium rank for prevalence of obesity, male?
- Belgium ranks 96th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, male rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (WHO): Global Health Observatory Data Repository, published as part of Prevalence of obesity, male (% of male 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.