Share of women who are obese in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of women who are obese was 28.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia is 28.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Malaysia peaked at 28.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 1980.
Malaysia ranks 84th 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.0% | — |
| 1981 | 4.2% | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 4.5% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 4.7% | +6.1% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 5.3% | +6.1% |
| 1986 | 5.7% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 6.0% | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 6.4% | +5.9% |
| 1989 | 6.7% | +5.9% |
| 1990 | 7.1% | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 7.5% | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 8.0% | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 8.4% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 8.8% | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 9.3% | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 9.8% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 10.3% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 10.8% | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 11.4% | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 11.9% | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 12.5% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 13.1% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 13.7% | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 14.3% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 14.9% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 16.8% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 18.1% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 18.8% | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 19.5% | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 20.2% | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 20.9% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 21.6% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 22.4% | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 23.2% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 23.9% | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 24.8% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 25.6% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 26.4% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 27.2% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 28.1% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 28.9% | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.3% | 4.0% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.2% | 7.1% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.6% | 11.9% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.3% | 18.1% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.2% | 25.6% | 28.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More gender data for Malaysia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,206 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.39 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 214,187 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 227,793 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 214,543 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 228,149 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 213,108 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 226,616 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 211,196 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 224,575 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Malaysia?
- Share of women who are obese in Malaysia was 28.9% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 28.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of women who are obese?
- Malaysia ranks 84th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.