Share of overweight men vs. women in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of overweight men vs. women was 53.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of overweight men vs. women in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia is 53.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of overweight men vs. women in Malaysia peaked at 53.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 1980.
Malaysia ranks 113th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.6% | — |
| 1981 | 14.2% | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 14.8% | +4.3% |
| 1983 | 15.5% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 16.1% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 16.8% | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 17.6% | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 18.3% | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 19.1% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 19.9% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 20.8% | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 21.6% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 22.6% | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 23.5% | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 24.5% | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 25.5% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 26.6% | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 27.7% | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 28.9% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 30.1% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 31.3% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 32.5% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 33.7% | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 34.8% | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 36.0% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 37.2% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 38.3% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 39.3% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 40.4% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 41.4% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 42.3% | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 43.2% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 44.0% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 44.8% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 45.6% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 46.5% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 47.2% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 48.0% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 48.8% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 49.5% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 50.2% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 51.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 51.7% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 52.5% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 53.2% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.6% | 13.6% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.2% | 20.8% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.5% | 31.3% | 41.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.0% | 42.3% | 49.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.7% | 50.2% | 53.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 110 Trinidad and Tobago 54.1% compare
- 111 Italy 53.6% compare
- 112 Armenia 53.5% compare
- 114 Papua New Guinea 52.7% compare
- 115 Netherlands 51.8% compare
- 116 Venezuela 51.8% compare
More gender data for Malaysia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,206 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.39 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 214,187 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 227,793 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 214,543 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 228,149 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 213,108 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 226,616 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 211,196 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 224,575 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of overweight men vs. women in Malaysia?
- Share of overweight men vs. women in Malaysia was 53.2% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 53.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of overweight men vs. women recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of overweight men vs. women?
- Malaysia ranks 113th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of overweight men vs. women rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.