Share of women who are obese in Tanzania
Tanzania: Share of women who are obese was 16.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are obese in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania stood at 16.2%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 45.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are obese in Tanzania peaked at 16.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1980.
That places Tanzania 158th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.8% | — |
| 1981 | 1.9% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 2.1% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 2.3% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 2.6% | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 3.2% | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | +5.7% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 4.0% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 4.2% | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 4.5% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 4.8% | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 5.1% | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 5.5% | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 5.8% | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 7.0% | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 7.4% | +6.0% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 8.3% | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 8.7% | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 9.2% | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 10.6% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 11.1% | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 11.7% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 12.2% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 12.7% | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 13.2% | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 13.7% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 14.1% | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 14.6% | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 15.7% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 16.2% | +3.4% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 16.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.9%, 68% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 16.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.1%, 89% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7% | 2.9% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.8% | 5.1% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.4% | 9.2% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.1% | 14.1% | 16.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More gender data for Tanzania
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 33,294 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 2.01 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 47,619 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 47,619 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.22 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.16 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.19 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.13 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.16 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.11 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are obese in Tanzania?
- Share of women who are obese in Tanzania was 16.2% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are obese recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1980.
- How does Tanzania rank for share of women who are obese?
- Tanzania ranks 158th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are obese rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.