Share of women who are obese in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of women who are obese was 22.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Cameroon, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women who are obese in Cameroon is 22.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 34.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Cameroon peaked at 22.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1980.
That places Cameroon 116th out of 199 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.
Share of women who are obese in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.5% | — |
| 1981 | 2.6% | +6.4% |
| 1982 | 2.8% | +6.5% |
| 1983 | 3.0% | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 3.4% | +6.6% |
| 1986 | 3.6% | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 3.8% | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 4.1% | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 4.4% | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 4.7% | +6.7% |
| 1991 | 5.0% | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | +6.8% |
| 1993 | 5.7% | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 6.9% | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 7.5% | +7.3% |
| 1998 | 8.0% | +7.3% |
| 1999 | 8.6% | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 9.2% | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 9.8% | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 10.5% | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 11.8% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 13.0% | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 13.5% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 14.0% | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 14.5% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 14.9% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 15.4% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 16.2% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 16.7% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 17.2% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 17.7% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 18.2% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 18.8% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 19.4% | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 19.9% | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 20.5% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 21.1% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 21.8% | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 22.4% | +2.9% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 22.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 22.4% 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 | 3.3% | 2.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | 4.7% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.0% | 9.2% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.0% | 14.9% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.1% | 19.9% | 22.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More gender data for Cameroon
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 13,337 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.53 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 20,440 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 20,440 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.01 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 465,137 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 475,018 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 453,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 461,925 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 443,236 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Cameroon?
- Share of women who are obese in Cameroon was 22.4% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are obese recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 22.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1980.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of women who are obese?
- Cameroon ranks 116th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) equal to, or greater than, 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared.