Share of women who are overweight or obese in Namibia
Namibia: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 47.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Namibia, 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 Namibia is 47.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Namibia peaked at 47.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 1980.
That places Namibia 127th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 16.4% | — |
| 1981 | 16.9% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 17.5% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 18.2% | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 18.8% | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 20.2% | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 20.9% | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 21.6% | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 22.4% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 23.9% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 24.7% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 25.6% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 26.4% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 27.3% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 28.1% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 29.0% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 30.0% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 30.9% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 31.8% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 32.7% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 33.6% | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 34.5% | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 35.4% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 36.2% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 36.9% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 37.6% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 38.9% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 39.5% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 40.0% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 40.6% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 41.2% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 41.7% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 42.3% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 42.9% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 43.5% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 44.1% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 44.7% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 45.2% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 45.8% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 46.4% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 46.9% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 47.5% | +1.2% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 47.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.3%, 89% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 47.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 42.8%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.2% | 16.4% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.9% | 23.1% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.6% | 31.8% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.1% | 39.5% | 44.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.4% | 45.2% | 47.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More gender data for Namibia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,172 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3037 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 2,218 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 2,218 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.57 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 38,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 38,517 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 37,694 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 37,867 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 38,396 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Namibia?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Namibia was 47.5% 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 1980.
- How does Namibia rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Namibia ranks 127th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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.