Share of women who are overweight or obese in Benin
Benin: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 38.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Benin, 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 overweight or obese in Benin is 38.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Benin peaked at 38.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 1980.
That places Benin 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.7% | — |
| 1981 | 7.1% | +5.7% |
| 1982 | 7.5% | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 8.4% | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 8.8% | +5.7% |
| 1986 | 9.4% | +5.7% |
| 1987 | 9.9% | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 10.4% | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 11.0% | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 12.3% | +5.5% |
| 1992 | 13.0% | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 13.7% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 14.4% | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 15.2% | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 16.1% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 17.0% | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 17.9% | +5.6% |
| 1999 | 18.9% | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 19.9% | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 21.0% | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 22.0% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 23.1% | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 24.1% | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 25.0% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 26.0% | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 26.8% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 27.6% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 28.3% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 29.0% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 29.6% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 30.3% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 30.9% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 31.5% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 32.2% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 32.9% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 33.6% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 34.3% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 35.1% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 35.8% | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 36.6% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 37.4% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 38.1% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 38.9% | +2.1% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 38.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.3%, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 38.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 42.8%, 91% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.7% | 6.7% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.0% | 11.6% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.4% | 19.9% | 28.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.9% | 29.0% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.4% | 35.8% | 38.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More gender data for Benin
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 6,548 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.19 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 10,071 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 10,071 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.95 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 229,200 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 237,041 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 223,456 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 230,273 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 219,192 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Benin?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Benin was 38.9% 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 Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 38.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 1980.
- How does Benin rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Benin ranks 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin 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
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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.