Share of women who are obese in Laos
Laos: Share of women who are obese was 11.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Laos, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Laos recorded 11.7% for share of women who are obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 70.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Laos peaked at 11.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1980.
That places Laos 178th 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 Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.2% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 1.6% | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 1.8% | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 1.9% | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 2.1% | +5.2% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +5.0% |
| 2001 | 3.4% | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 3.8% | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 4.4% | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 4.9% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 5.1% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 5.4% | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 5.8% | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 6.1% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 6.4% | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 6.8% | +5.9% |
| 2015 | 7.2% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 8.1% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 8.5% | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 9.0% | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 9.5% | +5.5% |
| 2021 | 10.0% | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 10.6% | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 11.1% | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 11.7% | +5.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 11.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 49% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 11.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.3%, 41% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.0% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 3.3% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.1% | 5.4% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.6% | 9.5% | 11.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 175 Malawi 12.1% compare
- 176 South Sudan 12.1% compare
- 177 France 11.7% compare
- 179 Philippines 11.6% compare
- 180 Burkina Faso 10.7% compare
- 181 India 10.4% compare
More gender data for Laos
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 2,335 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.3716 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 6,022 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 6,022 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 77,014 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 80,573 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 76,875 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 80,330 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 76,857 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Laos?
- Share of women who are obese in Laos was 11.7% 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 11.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1980.
- How does Laos rank for share of women who are obese?
- Laos ranks 178th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 70.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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.
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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.