Share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of overweight men vs. women was 65.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom, 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 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 peaked at 65.4% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 39.8%, in 1980.
United Kingdom 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, 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% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 65.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 65.1%, 1.0× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 65.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 62.4%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
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
More gender data for United Kingdom
- 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)
- Population 60,060 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 60,060 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7034 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom?
- Share of overweight men vs. women in United Kingdom 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?
- The highest recorded value was 65.4% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of overweight men vs. women recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.8% in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of overweight men vs. women?
- United Kingdom ranks 55th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of overweight men vs. women rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- 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 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.