Share of overweight men vs. women in Denmark
Denmark: Share of overweight men vs. women was 55.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of overweight men vs. women in Denmark, 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 overweight men vs. women in Denmark stood at 55.1%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of overweight men vs. women in Denmark peaked at 55.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.8%, in 1980.
That places Denmark 105th 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 overweight men vs. women in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 32.8% | — |
| 1981 | 33.5% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 34.3% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 35.0% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 35.8% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 36.6% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 37.5% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 38.3% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 39.2% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 40.1% | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 40.9% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 41.8% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 42.6% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 43.4% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 44.2% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 45.1% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 45.9% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 46.7% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 47.6% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 48.4% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 49.2% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 50.0% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 50.8% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 51.5% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 52.2% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 52.8% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 53.3% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 53.8% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 54.1% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 54.3% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 54.5% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 54.5% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 54.5% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 54.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 54.6% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 54.7% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 54.8% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 54.9% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 55.0% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 55.1% | +0.2% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 55.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 65.1%, 85% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 55.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 62.4%, 88% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 36.3% | 32.8% | 40.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.7% | 40.9% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.2% | 49.2% | 54.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.5% | 54.4% | 54.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.9% | 54.7% | 55.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More gender data for Denmark
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 936.54 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.1147 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 5,145 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 5,145 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.2008 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 28,897 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 30,488 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 28,736 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 30,324 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 28,778 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of overweight men vs. women in Denmark?
- Share of overweight men vs. women in Denmark was 55.1% 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 Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of overweight men vs. women recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.8% in 1980.
- How does Denmark rank for share of overweight men vs. women?
- Denmark ranks 105th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of overweight men vs. women rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Denmark 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.