Share of overweight men vs. women in North Korea
North Korea: Share of overweight men vs. women was 35.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of overweight men vs. women in North Korea, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 35.7% for share of overweight men vs. women in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 40.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of overweight men vs. women in North Korea peaked at 35.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.2%, in 1980.
That places North Korea 142nd 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 North Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.2% | — |
| 1981 | 7.5% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 7.7% | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 8.2% | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 8.4% | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 8.7% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 9.0% | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 9.3% | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 9.6% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 10.0% | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 10.3% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 10.7% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 11.6% | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 12.0% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 12.5% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 13.0% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 13.5% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 15.3% | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 16.0% | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 16.6% | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 17.3% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 18.0% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 18.8% | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 19.5% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 20.3% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 21.1% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 21.9% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 22.7% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 24.5% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 25.4% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 26.4% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 27.4% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 28.4% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 29.4% | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 30.4% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 31.4% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 32.5% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 33.5% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 34.6% | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 35.7% | +3.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 35.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 21.1%, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 35.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 53.7%, 66% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.4% | 7.2% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.9% | 10.0% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.8% | 14.7% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.0% | 21.9% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.5% | 31.4% | 35.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 139 Cape Verde 37.8% compare
- 140 South Africa 37.6% compare
- 141 Gabon 36.5% compare
- 143 Yemen 34.1% compare
- 144 Philippines 33.8% compare
- 145 Sudan 33.4% compare
More gender data for North Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,948 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.7158 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 21,837 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 21,837 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.2686 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 162,142 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 171,689 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 163,466 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 172,928 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 164,613 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of overweight men vs. women in North Korea?
- Share of overweight men vs. women in North Korea was 35.7% 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of overweight men vs. women recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.2% in 1980.
- How does North Korea rank for share of overweight men vs. women?
- North Korea ranks 142nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of overweight men vs. women rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea 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.