North Korea vs South Africa: Share of men who are overweight or obese
North Korea
35.7%
in 2024
South Africa
37.6%
in 2024
North Korea rank
142nd
South Africa rank
140th
Share of men who are overweight or obese over time
- North Korea
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 37.6% against 35.7% in North Korea, a difference of 1.9%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times North Korea's.
Across all 45 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
North Korea ranks 142nd and South Africa ranks 140th of 199 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.4% | 19.7% | 11.3% | South Africa |
| 1990s | 11.9% | 28.4% | 16.5% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 17.8% | 36.4% | 18.6% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 26.0% | 38.4% | 12.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 33.5% | 37.7% | 4.2% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of men who are overweight or obese, North Korea or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 37.6% against 35.7% in North Korea as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of men who are overweight or obese between North Korea and South Africa?
- 1.9%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and South Africa?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do North Korea and South Africa rank globally for share of men who are overweight or obese?
- North Korea ranks 142nd and South Africa ranks 140th of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of men who are overweight or obese. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
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.