Share of adults who are overweight or obese in Namibia

Namibia: Share of adults who are overweight or obese was 38.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
38.4%
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
151st
of 199 countries
All-time high
38.4%
in 2024
All-time low
12.6%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Share of adults who are overweight or obese in Namibia, 1980–2024

102030401980200220241980: 12.6 %1981: 13.1 %1982: 13.5 %1983: 14 %1984: 14.5 %1985: 15 %1986: 15.6 %1987: 16.1 %1988: 16.7 %1989: 17.3 %1990: 17.9 %1991: 18.5 %1992: 19.1 %1993: 19.8 %1994: 20.5 %1995: 21.1 %1996: 21.8 %1997: 22.6 %1998: 23.3 %1999: 24.1 %2000: 24.8 %2001: 25.6 %2002: 26.3 %2003: 27.1 %2004: 27.8 %2005: 28.5 %2006: 29.1 %2007: 29.7 %2008: 30.3 %2009: 30.9 %2010: 31.4 %2011: 31.9 %2012: 32.4 %2013: 32.8 %2014: 33.3 %2015: 33.8 %2016: 34.3 %2017: 34.8 %2018: 35.3 %2019: 35.8 %2020: 36.3 %2021: 36.8 %2022: 37.3 %2023: 37.8 %2024: 38.4 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Namibia recorded 38.4% for share of adults who are overweight or obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of adults who are overweight or obese in Namibia peaked at 38.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.6%, in 1980.

Namibia ranks 151st of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 14.8% 12.6% 17.3% 10
1990s 20.9% 17.9% 24.1% 10
2000s 28.0% 24.8% 30.9% 10
2010s 33.6% 31.4% 35.8% 10
2020s 37.3% 36.3% 38.4% 5

Countries ranked near Namibia

  1. 148 China 39.2% compare
  2. 149 North Korea 39.1% compare
  3. 150 Liberia 39.1% compare
  4. 152 France 38.1% compare
  5. 153 Yemen 38.1% compare
  6. 154 Switzerland 37.8% compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More reference data data for Namibia

All data for Namibia →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of adults who are overweight or obese in Namibia?
Share of adults who are overweight or obese in Namibia was 38.4% 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 overweight or obese recorded in Namibia?
The highest recorded value was 38.4% in 2024.
What is the lowest share of adults who are overweight or obese recorded in Namibia?
The lowest recorded value was 12.6% in 1980.
How does Namibia rank for share of adults who are overweight or obese?
Namibia ranks 151st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of adults who are overweight or obese rising or falling in Namibia?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Namibia 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 overweight or 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

Indicator
Share of adults who are overweight or obese
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
199 places, 8,955 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

Overweight is defined here as a body mass index (BMI) above 25. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters.