Share of women who are obese in Malawi
Malawi: Share of women who are obese was 12.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 12.1% 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 4.3% on the previous year and up 59.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Malawi peaked at 12.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1980.
Malawi ranks 175th 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 Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.1% | — |
| 1981 | 1.1% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 1.6% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | +6.5% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 2.7% | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 3.2% | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 3.4% | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 3.9% | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | +7.1% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 5.1% | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +6.3% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 6.4% | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 6.8% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 7.2% | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 8.0% | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 8.4% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 8.9% | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 9.3% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 9.8% | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 10.2% | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 10.7% | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 11.1% | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 11.6% | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 12.1% | +4.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 12.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 14.0%, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 12.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 67% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 3.2% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.9% | 6.1% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.1% | 10.2% | 12.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More gender data for Malawi
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,494 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.4 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,667 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,667 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 330,369 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 332,767 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 322,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 324,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 316,113 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Malawi?
- Share of women who are obese in Malawi was 12.1% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1980.
- How does Malawi rank for share of women who are obese?
- Malawi ranks 175th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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.