Share of women who are obese in Somalia
Somalia: Share of women who are obese was 23.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Somalia, 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 Somalia is 23.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 40.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Somalia peaked at 23.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1980.
Somalia ranks 113th 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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.8% | — |
| 1981 | 3.9% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 4.1% | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 4.2% | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 4.4% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 4.5% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 4.7% | +3.9% |
| 1987 | 4.9% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 5.3% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 5.8% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 6.3% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 6.5% | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 6.8% | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 7.2% | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 7.5% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 8.8% | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 9.2% | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 9.7% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 10.2% | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 10.8% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 11.3% | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 11.8% | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 12.4% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 12.9% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 13.5% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 14.1% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 14.7% | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 15.3% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 15.9% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 17.3% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 17.9% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 18.6% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 19.3% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 19.9% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 21.2% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 21.9% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 22.6% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 23.3% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.5% | 3.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.8% | 5.5% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.1% | 8.8% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.0% | 14.1% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 20.6% | 23.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More gender data for Somalia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 10,410 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 2.2 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 379,876 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 393,718 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 364,586 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 376,417 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 351,742 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 363,131 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 338,542 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 349,118 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Somalia?
- Share of women who are obese in Somalia was 23.3% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1980.
- How does Somalia rank for share of women who are obese?
- Somalia ranks 113th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.