Share of women who are obese in Kenya
Kenya: Share of women who are obese was 16.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Kenya, 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 Kenya is 16.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 36.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Kenya peaked at 16.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 1980.
That places Kenya 152nd 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.0% | — |
| 1981 | 2.1% | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | +5.2% |
| 1983 | 2.3% | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 2.6% | +5.4% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 2.9% | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 3.2% | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 3.4% | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 3.6% | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 3.8% | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 4.0% | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 4.5% | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 4.8% | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 5.1% | +6.4% |
| 1998 | 5.4% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 5.8% | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 6.2% | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 6.6% | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 7.8% | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 8.3% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 9.2% | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 9.6% | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 10.5% | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 10.9% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 11.4% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 11.9% | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 12.3% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 12.8% | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 13.8% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 14.2% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 14.6% | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 15.1% | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 15.5% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 15.9% | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 16.4% | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 16.8% | +2.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 16.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 70% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 16.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.6% | 2.0% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.5% | 3.4% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 6.2% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.6% | 10.5% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.0% | 15.1% | 16.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More gender data for Kenya
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 21,579 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.8794 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 41,524 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 41,524 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.3 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 740,912 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 751,960 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 725,839 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 736,424 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 712,907 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Kenya?
- Share of women who are obese in Kenya was 16.8% 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 16.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 1980.
- How does Kenya rank for share of women who are obese?
- Kenya ranks 152nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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.