Share of overweight men vs. women in Botswana
Botswana: Share of overweight men vs. women was 28.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of overweight men vs. women in Botswana, 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 overweight men vs. women in Botswana is 28.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of overweight men vs. women in Botswana peaked at 28.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 1980.
Botswana ranks 158th 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 overweight men vs. women in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.2% | — |
| 1981 | 9.5% | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 9.8% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 10.1% | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 10.4% | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 10.7% | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 11.1% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 11.4% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 11.8% | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 12.2% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 12.6% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 13.0% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 13.5% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 13.9% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 14.4% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 14.9% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 15.3% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 15.8% | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 16.4% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 16.9% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 17.4% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 18.0% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 18.5% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 19.1% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 19.7% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 20.2% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 20.8% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 21.3% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 21.8% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 22.2% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 23.1% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 23.9% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 24.6% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 25.0% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 25.4% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 25.8% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 26.1% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 26.5% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 26.9% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 27.3% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 27.8% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 28.2% | +1.5% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 28.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 58.6%, 48% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 28.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.6%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.6% | 9.2% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 12.6% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.9% | 17.4% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.4% | 22.7% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.3% | 26.5% | 28.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More gender data for Botswana
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 855.49 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6449 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1,910 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1,910 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 29,466 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 30,240 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 29,267 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 30,023 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 29,174 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of overweight men vs. women in Botswana?
- Share of overweight men vs. women in Botswana was 28.2% 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 overweight men vs. women recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 28.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of overweight men vs. women recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 1980.
- How does Botswana rank for share of overweight men vs. women?
- Botswana ranks 158th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of overweight men vs. women rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana 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 overweight men vs. women. 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.