Share of women who are overweight or obese in Nepal
Nepal: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 36.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Nepal, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 36.3% for share of women who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 60.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Nepal peaked at 36.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1980.
Nepal ranks 174th 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.2% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +9.7% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | +9.8% |
| 1983 | 1.6% | +9.8% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | +9.9% |
| 1985 | 1.9% | +9.9% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | +9.9% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | +9.9% |
| 1988 | 2.5% | +9.9% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +9.9% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | +9.9% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +9.9% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 4.0% | +9.9% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | +9.9% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | +9.9% |
| 1996 | 5.4% | +10.0% |
| 1997 | 5.9% | +10.0% |
| 1998 | 6.5% | +10.0% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +9.8% |
| 2001 | 8.6% | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 10.2% | +9.0% |
| 2004 | 11.1% | +8.7% |
| 2005 | 12.1% | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 13.0% | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 14.1% | +7.9% |
| 2008 | 15.2% | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 16.3% | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | +7.0% |
| 2012 | 19.9% | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 21.3% | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 22.6% | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 24.0% | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 25.3% | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 26.7% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 28.1% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 29.4% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 30.8% | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 32.2% | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 33.5% | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 34.9% | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 36.3% | +4.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 36.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.3%, 68% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 36.3% is below the median for South Asia, which is 41.9%, 87% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.9% | 1.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.8% | 3.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 7.8% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.3% | 17.5% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.6% | 30.8% | 36.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 171 Bangladesh 36.9% compare
- 172 Sierra Leone 36.8% compare
- 173 Laos 36.5% compare
- 175 Mozambique 35.7% compare
- 176 Uganda 35.4% compare
- 177 Malawi 35.3% compare
More gender data for Nepal
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,927 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.7039 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 22,583 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 22,583 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.5 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 264,089 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 273,367 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 265,882 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 274,092 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 268,570 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Nepal?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Nepal was 36.3% 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 36.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1980.
- How does Nepal rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Nepal ranks 174th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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.