Share of women who are obese in China
China: Share of women who are obese was 8.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in China, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of women who are obese in China stood at 8.4%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 63.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in China peaked at 8.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1980.
That places China 189th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of women who are obese in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.4% | — |
| 1981 | 1.4% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 1.6% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 1.6% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 3.6% | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 4.4% | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 4.7% | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 5.1% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 6.0% | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 6.6% | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 6.9% | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 7.3% | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 7.6% | +5.0% |
| 2023 | 8.0% | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 8.4% | +5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.7% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 4.2% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 6.9% | 8.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More gender data for China
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 169,741 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -5.36 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 4.15 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 4.56 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 4.18 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 4.62 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 4.32 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 4.78 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 4.69 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 5.18 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in China?
- Share of women who are obese in China was 8.4% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 8.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1980.
- How does China rank for share of women who are obese?
- China ranks 189th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.