Share of women who are overweight or obese in Congo
Congo: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 40.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are overweight or obese in 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 Congo stood at 40.6%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Congo peaked at 40.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.3%, in 1980.
Congo ranks 158th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.3% | — |
| 1981 | 9.8% | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 10.3% | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 10.9% | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 11.4% | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 12.1% | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 12.7% | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 13.4% | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 14.0% | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 14.8% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 15.5% | +5.1% |
| 1991 | 16.3% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 17.1% | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 17.9% | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 18.7% | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 19.5% | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 20.4% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 21.3% | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 22.1% | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 23.0% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 23.9% | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 24.8% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 25.7% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 26.6% | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 27.4% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 28.2% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 29.0% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 29.7% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 30.4% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 31.0% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 31.6% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 32.2% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 32.8% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 33.4% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 34.1% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 34.7% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 35.4% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 36.0% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 37.3% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 38.0% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 38.6% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 39.3% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 39.9% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 40.6% | +1.7% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 40.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.3%, 76% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 40.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 42.8%, 95% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.9% | 9.3% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.2% | 15.5% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.7% | 23.9% | 31.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.4% | 31.6% | 37.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.3% | 38.0% | 40.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 155 Bulgaria 40.9% compare
- 156 Montenegro 40.7% compare
- 157 Philippines 40.6% compare
- 159 Netherlands 40.4% compare
- 160 Singapore 40.4% compare
- 161 Tanzania 39.9% compare
More gender data for Congo
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 2,740 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.35 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,543 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,543 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.93 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 93,771 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 95,629 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 91,657 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 93,441 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 89,756 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Congo?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Congo was 40.6% 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 40.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.3% in 1980.
- How does Congo rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Congo ranks 158th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this 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
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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.