Share of women who are overweight or obese in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 29.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Democratic Republic of Congo, 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 Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 29.8%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 39.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 29.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1980.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 186th 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 overweight or obese in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.0% | — |
| 1981 | 5.2% | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 5.4% | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 5.6% | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 5.8% | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 6.1% | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 6.3% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 6.6% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 6.9% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 7.5% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 7.8% | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 8.1% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 8.5% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 8.9% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 9.3% | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 9.7% | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 10.2% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 10.7% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 11.2% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 11.8% | +5.0% |
| 2001 | 12.4% | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 13.0% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 13.6% | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 14.3% | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 14.9% | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 15.6% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 16.3% | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 17.0% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 18.4% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 19.1% | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 19.9% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 20.6% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 21.4% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 22.2% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 23.0% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 24.7% | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 25.6% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 26.4% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 27.2% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 28.1% | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 29.0% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 29.8% | +3.0% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 29.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 35.4%, 84% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 29.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 42.8%, 70% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.0% | 5.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.2% | 7.5% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.7% | 11.8% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.9% | 18.4% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.1% | 26.4% | 29.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 183 Central African Republic 32.4% compare
- 184 South Sudan 30.8% compare
- 185 Cambodia 30.5% compare
- 187 Rwanda 29.7% compare
- 188 Burkina Faso 28.7% compare
- 189 Switzerland 28.2% compare
More gender data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 59,241 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 2.48 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 72,291 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 72,291 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.47 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 2.15 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2.18 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 2.08 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2.11 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 2.02 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Democratic Republic of Congo was 29.8% 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 29.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1980.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 186th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.