Share of women who are obese in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of women who are obese was 4.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia is 4.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 72.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Ethiopia peaked at 4.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.
Ethiopia ranks 195th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.4% | — |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 0.7% | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 0.8% | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | +7.0% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | +6.3% |
| 2014 | 2.5% | +6.2% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 2.9% | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | +5.6% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | +5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.0% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.9% | 3.5% | 4.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 192 Republic of Korea 6.0% compare
- 193 Eritrea 5.8% compare
- 194 Timor-Leste 5.5% compare
- 196 Madagascar 4.4% compare
- 197 Burundi 4.3% compare
- 198 Japan 3.7% compare
More gender data for Ethiopia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,452 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.69 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.98 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2.07 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.95 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2.04 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 2.01 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 1.98 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Ethiopia?
- Share of women who are obese in Ethiopia was 4.4% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of women who are obese?
- Ethiopia ranks 195th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.