Share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Share of overweight men vs. women was 65.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 65.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 65.4% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 39.8%, in 1980.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 55th 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 39.8% | — |
| 1981 | 40.8% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 41.8% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 42.8% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 43.8% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 46.0% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 47.1% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 49.4% | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 50.5% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 51.7% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 52.8% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 54.0% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 55.1% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 56.2% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 57.2% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 59.1% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 60.0% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 60.8% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 61.6% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 62.3% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 63.0% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 63.5% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 64.0% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 64.4% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 64.7% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 65.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 65.1% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 65.2% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 65.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 65.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 65.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 65.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 65.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 65.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 65.4% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 65.3% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 65.3% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 65.3% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 65.2% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 65.2% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 44.5% | 39.8% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.5% | 50.5% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.4% | 60.8% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.3% | 65.2% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.3% | 65.2% | 65.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More gender data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 11,226 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9161 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 335,907 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 353,938 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 340,922 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 359,075 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 343,706 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 361,989 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 347,350 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 365,727 (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 65.2% 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 65.4% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of overweight men vs. women recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.8% in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for share of overweight men vs. women?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 55th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of overweight men vs. women rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.