Share of women who are obese in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: Share of women who are obese was 14.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 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 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of is 14.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 59.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of peaked at 14.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1980.
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 163rd 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 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.8% | — |
| 1981 | 1.9% | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 2.3% | +5.0% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +5.1% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | +5.1% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 3.3% | +5.0% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 4.3% | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 4.5% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 4.7% | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 5.2% | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 5.9% | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 7.5% | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 8.3% | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 8.7% | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 9.2% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 9.6% | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 10.1% | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 10.6% | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 11.1% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 11.7% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 12.2% | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 12.8% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 13.4% | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 14.0% | +4.5% |
| 2024 | 14.7% | +4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 4.7% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.5% | 7.5% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.4% | 12.2% | 14.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
- 160 Andorra 15.2% compare
- 161 Netherlands 15.1% compare
- 162 Sri Lanka 15.0% compare
- 164 Montenegro 14.6% compare
- 165 Guinea 14.6% compare
- 166 Mozambique 14.5% compare
More gender data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,948 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.7158 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 21,837 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 21,837 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.2686 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 162,142 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 171,689 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 163,466 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 172,928 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 164,613 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Share of women who are obese in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of was 14.7% 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 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 14.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1980.
- How does Korea, Democratic People's Republic of rank for share of women who are obese?
- Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 163rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 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.