Share of women who are obese in Congo
Congo: Share of women who are obese was 18.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Congo, 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 Congo stood at 18.0%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 36.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Congo peaked at 18.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1980.
Congo ranks 142nd of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.1% | — |
| 1981 | 2.3% | +6.8% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | +6.9% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | +6.9% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 3.2% | +6.9% |
| 1987 | 3.4% | +6.9% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | +6.9% |
| 1989 | 3.9% | +6.8% |
| 1990 | 4.1% | +6.8% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 4.7% | +6.6% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 5.3% | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 5.7% | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 6.0% | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 6.4% | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 7.2% | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 7.6% | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 8.4% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 9.3% | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 9.7% | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 10.1% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 10.9% | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 11.3% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 12.0% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 12.4% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 12.7% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 13.2% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 13.6% | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 14.0% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 14.5% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 15.0% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 15.4% | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 15.9% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 16.4% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 16.9% | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 18.0% | +3.1% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 18.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 75% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 18.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.9% | 2.1% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.6% | 4.1% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.5% | 7.6% | 11.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.4% | 11.6% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.0% | 15.9% | 18.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More gender data for Congo
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 2,740 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.35 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,543 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,543 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.93 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 93,771 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 95,629 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 91,657 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 93,441 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 89,756 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Congo?
- Share of women who are obese in Congo was 18.0% 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1980.
- How does Congo rank for share of women who are obese?
- Congo ranks 142nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo 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
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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.