Share of women who are obese in South Africa
South Africa: Share of women who are obese was 47.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are obese in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of women who are obese in South Africa stood at 47.5%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in South Africa peaked at 47.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.0%, in 1980.
That places South Africa 25th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of women who are obese in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 19.0% | — |
| 1981 | 19.5% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 20.1% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 20.6% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 21.2% | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 21.8% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 22.4% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 23.0% | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 23.7% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 24.3% | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 25.0% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 25.7% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 26.3% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 27.0% | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 27.7% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 28.4% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 29.1% | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 29.8% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 30.5% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 31.3% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 32.0% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 32.8% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 33.5% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 34.3% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 35.1% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 36.5% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 37.2% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 37.9% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 39.1% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 39.7% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 40.3% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 40.8% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 41.4% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 42.6% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 43.2% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 43.8% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 44.4% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 45.0% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 45.7% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 46.3% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 46.9% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 47.5% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.6% | 19.0% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.1% | 25.0% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.4% | 32.0% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.7% | 39.1% | 44.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.3% | 45.0% | 47.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 22 Saint Lucia 47.8% compare
- 23 Puerto Rico 47.8% compare
- 24 Iraq 47.6% compare
- 26 Kuwait 46.8% compare
- 27 Saudi Arabia 46.7% compare
- 28 Chile 46.4% compare
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in South Africa?
- Share of women who are obese in South Africa was 47.5% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.0% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for share of women who are obese?
- South Africa ranks 25th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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
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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.