Prevalence of obesity, male in Korea
Korea: Prevalence of obesity, male was 10.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Prevalence of obesity, male in Korea, 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 Korea is 10.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.9% on the previous year and up 118.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of obesity, male in Korea peaked at 10.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1980.
That places Korea 138th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Prevalence of obesity, male in Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male population ages 18+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.5% | — |
| 1981 | 0.5% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | +5.8% |
| 1983 | 0.6% | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +6.2% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +7.2% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +6.3% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | +6.5% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | +6.9% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | +7.2% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | +8.1% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +8.0% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +8.1% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | +7.3% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | +6.9% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 4.4% | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 4.8% | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 6.0% | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 6.5% | +8.3% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 8.3% | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 8.9% | +8.2% |
| 2023 | 9.7% | +8.0% |
| 2024 | 10.4% | +7.9% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 10.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 25.6%, 41% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Korea's 10.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 20.5%, 51% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 1.7% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 3.6% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.0% | 7.6% | 10.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Korea
More gender data for Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,318 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.79 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 46,871 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 46,871 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0957 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 119,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 125,732 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 116,471 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 122,813 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 119,098 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of obesity, male in Korea?
- Prevalence of obesity, male in Korea was 10.4% in 2024, according to World Health Organization (WHO): Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
- What is the highest prevalence of obesity, male recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of obesity, male recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1980.
- How does Korea rank for prevalence of obesity, male?
- Korea ranks 138th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of obesity, male rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 118.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea 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
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.