Share of women who are overweight or obese in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 56.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Afghanistan, 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 overweight or obese in Afghanistan stood at 56.3%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 46.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Afghanistan peaked at 56.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.8%, in 1980.
Afghanistan ranks 98th 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 overweight or obese in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.8% | — |
| 1981 | 5.2% | +7.4% |
| 1982 | 5.6% | +7.4% |
| 1983 | 6.0% | +7.4% |
| 1984 | 6.4% | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 6.9% | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 7.4% | +7.3% |
| 1987 | 7.9% | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 8.5% | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 9.1% | +7.1% |
| 1990 | 9.8% | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 10.5% | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 11.2% | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 12.7% | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 14.5% | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 15.4% | +6.6% |
| 1998 | 16.4% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 17.5% | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 19.7% | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 20.9% | +6.0% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 23.4% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 24.7% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | +5.5% |
| 2007 | 27.5% | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 30.4% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 31.9% | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 33.5% | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 35.1% | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 36.8% | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 38.5% | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 40.3% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 42.1% | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 43.9% | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 45.7% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 47.5% | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 49.3% | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 51.1% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 52.9% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 54.6% | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 56.3% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.8% | 4.8% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.4% | 9.8% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.2% | 18.6% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.5% | 31.9% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.8% | 49.3% | 56.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More gender data for Afghanistan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 20,358 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.64 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 707,563 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 739,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 690,872 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 720,642 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 674,248 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 703,775 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 657,754 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 686,729 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Afghanistan?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Afghanistan was 56.3% 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 overweight or obese recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 56.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 1980.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Afghanistan ranks 98th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 overweight or 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
A person is defined as overweight if they have a body-mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 25. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by his height in meters squared.