Share of adults who are obese in Pakistan
Pakistan: Share of adults who are obese was 23.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese in Pakistan, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 23.5% for share of adults who are obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 75.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese in Pakistan peaked at 23.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1980.
Pakistan ranks 105th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of adults who are obese in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.5% | — |
| 1981 | 1.6% | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +6.3% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 2.0% | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 2.8% | +6.7% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 3.2% | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 3.9% | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 4.1% | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 4.4% | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | +6.8% |
| 1999 | 5.0% | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 5.4% | +6.8% |
| 2001 | 5.7% | +6.8% |
| 2002 | 6.1% | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 6.6% | +6.9% |
| 2004 | 7.0% | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 7.5% | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 9.1% | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 9.7% | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | +6.7% |
| 2011 | 11.0% | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 11.8% | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 12.6% | +6.8% |
| 2014 | 13.4% | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 14.3% | +6.7% |
| 2016 | 15.3% | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 16.3% | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 18.2% | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 19.2% | +5.5% |
| 2021 | 20.3% | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 21.3% | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 22.4% | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 23.5% | +4.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 23.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.6%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 23.5% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.3%, 78% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.8% | 2.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 5.4% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.1% | 10.3% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.4% | 19.2% | 23.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More reference data data for Pakistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 91.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 260 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.79 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese in Pakistan?
- Share of adults who are obese in Pakistan was 23.5% 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 adults who are obese recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1980.
- How does Pakistan rank for share of adults who are obese?
- Pakistan ranks 105th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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 adults who are obese. 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
Obesity is defined here as a body mass index (BMI) above 30. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters.