Share of women who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 46.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 46.9% for share of women who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka peaked at 46.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 1980.
Sri Lanka ranks 132nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.8% | — |
| 1981 | 6.2% | +6.9% |
| 1982 | 6.7% | +6.9% |
| 1983 | 7.1% | +6.8% |
| 1984 | 7.6% | +6.8% |
| 1985 | 8.1% | +6.8% |
| 1986 | 8.7% | +6.7% |
| 1987 | 9.3% | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 9.9% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 10.5% | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 11.2% | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 12.6% | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 13.4% | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 14.2% | +6.0% |
| 1995 | 15.0% | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 15.9% | +5.8% |
| 1997 | 16.8% | +5.7% |
| 1998 | 17.7% | +5.6% |
| 1999 | 18.7% | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 19.7% | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 20.7% | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 21.8% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 22.9% | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 24.0% | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 25.1% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 26.2% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 27.3% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 28.5% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 29.6% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 30.8% | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 31.9% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 33.1% | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 34.3% | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 35.5% | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 36.7% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 37.9% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 39.1% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 40.3% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 41.4% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 42.5% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 43.6% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 44.7% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 45.8% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 46.9% | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.0% | 5.8% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 11.2% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.6% | 19.7% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.1% | 30.8% | 41.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.7% | 42.5% | 46.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More gender data for Sri Lanka
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,804 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.8687 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 155,366 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 162,031 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 156,342 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 163,015 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 157,484 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 164,192 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 158,342 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 165,089 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in Sri Lanka was 46.9% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 46.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 1980.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- Sri Lanka ranks 132nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.