Share of women who are overweight or obese in South Korea
South Korea: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 25.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are overweight or obese in South Korea, 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 South Korea stood at 25.3%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in South Korea peaked at 25.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.5%, in 1980.
South Korea ranks 190th 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 South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 20.5% | — |
| 1981 | 20.7% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 21.0% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 21.2% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 21.5% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 21.7% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 22.0% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 22.3% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 22.5% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 22.8% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 23.4% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 23.7% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 23.9% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 24.2% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 24.4% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 24.6% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 24.8% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 24.9% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 25.0% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 25.1% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 25.2% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 25.2% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 25.2% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 25.2% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 25.1% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 25.1% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 25.1% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 25.0% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 25.0% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 24.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 24.9% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 24.9% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 24.9% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 24.9% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 25.0% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 25.0% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 25.1% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 25.1% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 25.2% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 25.2% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 25.3% | +0.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 25.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 55.5%, 46% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 25.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 58.5%, 43% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.6% | 20.5% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.2% | 23.1% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.1% | 25.0% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.9% | 24.9% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.2% | 25.1% | 25.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 187 Rwanda 29.7% compare
- 188 Burkina Faso 28.7% compare
- 189 Switzerland 28.2% compare
- 191 Niger 23.9% compare
- 192 Chad 22.7% compare
- 193 East Timor 20.9% compare
More gender data for South Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,318 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.79 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 46,871 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 46,871 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0957 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 119,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 125,732 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 116,471 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 122,813 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 119,098 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in South Korea?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in South Korea was 25.3% 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.5% in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- South Korea ranks 190th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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.