Share of women who are obese in Namibia
Namibia: Share of women who are obese was 25.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are obese in Namibia, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 25.0% for share of women who are obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 21.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Namibia peaked at 25.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 1980.
That places Namibia 106th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of women who are obese in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.6% | — |
| 1981 | 5.8% | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 6.1% | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 6.4% | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 6.7% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 7.1% | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 7.4% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 7.8% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 8.2% | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 8.6% | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 9.0% | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 9.4% | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 9.9% | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 10.3% | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 10.8% | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 11.3% | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 11.8% | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 12.4% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 13.0% | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 13.5% | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 14.1% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 15.3% | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 15.9% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 16.4% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 17.4% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 17.9% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 18.3% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 18.7% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 19.1% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 19.4% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 19.8% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 20.2% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 20.6% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 21.0% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 21.4% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 21.9% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 22.3% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 22.7% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 23.2% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 23.6% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 24.1% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 24.6% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 25.0% | +1.9% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 25.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 25.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.0% | 5.6% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.1% | 9.0% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 14.1% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.8% | 19.1% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.1% | 23.2% | 25.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More gender data for Namibia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,172 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3037 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 2,218 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 2,218 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.57 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 38,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 38,517 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 37,694 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 37,867 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 38,396 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Namibia?
- Share of women who are obese in Namibia was 25.0% 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 1980.
- How does Namibia rank for share of women who are obese?
- Namibia ranks 106th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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.