Share of women who are overweight or obese in India
India: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 33.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are overweight or obese in India, 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 India stood at 33.7%. 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 42.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in India peaked at 33.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 1980.
India ranks 181st of 199 countries on this measure, 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 India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.4% | — |
| 1981 | 3.7% | +7.8% |
| 1982 | 3.9% | +7.7% |
| 1983 | 4.2% | +7.6% |
| 1984 | 4.6% | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 5.2% | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 5.6% | +7.1% |
| 1988 | 6.0% | +7.0% |
| 1989 | 6.4% | +6.8% |
| 1990 | 6.8% | +6.7% |
| 1991 | 7.3% | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 7.8% | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 8.2% | +6.3% |
| 1994 | 8.8% | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 9.3% | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 9.9% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 10.5% | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 11.1% | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 11.8% | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 12.5% | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 13.2% | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 14.7% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 15.4% | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 16.2% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 17.0% | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 17.7% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 18.5% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 19.3% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 20.2% | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 21.0% | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 21.8% | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 22.7% | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 23.7% | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 24.6% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 25.7% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 26.7% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 27.7% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 28.7% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 29.7% | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 30.7% | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 31.7% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 32.7% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 33.7% | +3.1% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 33.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.3%, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 33.7% is below the median for South Asia, which is 41.9%, 80% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.8% | 3.4% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.1% | 6.8% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.8% | 12.5% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.3% | 20.2% | 28.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.7% | 29.7% | 33.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More gender data for India
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 341,454 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.5667 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1.18 million (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1.18 million (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 10.96 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 11.71 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 10.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 11.70 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 10.89 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in India?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in India was 33.7% 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 33.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 1980.
- How does India rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- India ranks 181st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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.
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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.