Prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq
Iraq: Prevalence of obesity, male was 31.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization (WHO): Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of male population ages 18+.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq stood at 31.2%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq peaked at 31.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.0%, in 1980.
Iraq ranks 31st of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of male population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.0% | — |
| 1981 | 9.3% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 9.7% | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 10.1% | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 10.6% | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 11.0% | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 11.4% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 11.9% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 12.4% | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 12.9% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 13.4% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 14.0% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 14.5% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 15.1% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 15.6% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 16.2% | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 16.8% | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 17.4% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 18.1% | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 18.7% | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 19.4% | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 20.8% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 22.1% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 22.8% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 24.1% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 25.4% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 26.0% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 26.6% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 27.1% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 27.6% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 28.1% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 28.6% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 29.0% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 29.4% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 29.7% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 30.0% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 30.2% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 30.5% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 30.7% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 31.0% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 31.2% | +0.8% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 31.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 20.7%, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 31.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25.5%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.8% | 9.0% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 13.4% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 19.4% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.2% | 26.0% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.7% | 30.2% | 31.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More gender data for Iraq
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,091 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3028 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 34,846 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 34,846 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.78 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 566,580 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 596,188 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 558,252 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 587,298 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 550,204 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq?
- Prevalence of obesity, male in Iraq was 31.2% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO): Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, male recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 31.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, male recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.0% in 1980.
- How does Iraq rank for prevalence of obesity, male?
- Iraq ranks 31st out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, male rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq 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.
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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.