Share of women who are obese in Ghana
Ghana: Share of women who are obese was 23.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Ghana, 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 Ghana is 23.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 42.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Ghana peaked at 23.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 1980.
Ghana ranks 112th 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.8% | — |
| 1981 | 3.0% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 3.4% | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 3.6% | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 3.8% | +6.2% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | +6.2% |
| 1987 | 4.3% | +6.1% |
| 1988 | 4.5% | +6.1% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | +6.1% |
| 1990 | 5.1% | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 5.4% | +6.1% |
| 1992 | 5.7% | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 6.1% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 6.4% | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 6.9% | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 7.3% | +6.4% |
| 1997 | 7.8% | +6.6% |
| 1998 | 8.3% | +6.6% |
| 1999 | 8.8% | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 9.4% | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 10.0% | +6.3% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | +6.0% |
| 2003 | 11.2% | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 11.8% | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 12.9% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 13.4% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 13.9% | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 14.4% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 14.9% | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 15.3% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 16.3% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 16.8% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 17.4% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 18.0% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 18.7% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 19.4% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 20.1% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 20.8% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 21.6% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 22.4% | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 23.2% | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 23.9% | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.7% | 2.8% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.8% | 5.1% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.0% | 9.4% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.3% | 14.9% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.4% | 20.8% | 23.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More gender data for Ghana
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 12,710 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3902 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 428,908 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 442,748 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 424,540 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 437,618 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 420,712 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 433,463 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 417,006 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 429,268 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Ghana?
- Share of women who are obese in Ghana was 23.9% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 23.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 1980.
- How does Ghana rank for share of women who are obese?
- Ghana ranks 112th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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.