Share of adults who are overweight in South Africa
South Africa: Share of adults who are overweight was 55.71 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are overweight in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 55.71 for share of adults who are overweight in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are overweight in South Africa peaked at 55.71 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 30.47, in 1980.
That places South Africa 102nd out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of adults who are overweight in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 30.47 | — |
| 1981 | 31.16 | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 31.86 | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 32.59 | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 33.33 | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 34.09 | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 34.86 | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 35.65 | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 36.44 | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 37.25 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 38.06 | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 38.89 | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 39.85 | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 40.49 | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 41.43 | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 42.83 | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 44.11 | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 45.24 | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 46.06 | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 46.86 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 47.66 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 48.43 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 49.17 | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 49.89 | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 50.59 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 51.24 | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 51.85 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 52.38 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 52.85 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 53.23 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 53.54 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 53.78 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 53.97 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 54.11 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 54.23 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 54.34 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 54.51 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 54.69 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 54.81 | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 54.94 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 55.07 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 55.21 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 55.37 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 55.53 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 55.71 | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 33.77 | 30.47 | 37.25 | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.38 | 38.06 | 46.86 | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.73 | 47.66 | 53.23 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.29 | 53.54 | 54.94 | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.38 | 55.07 | 55.71 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are overweight in South Africa?
- Share of adults who are overweight in South Africa was 55.71 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of adults who are overweight recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 55.71 in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are overweight recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.47 in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for share of adults who are overweight?
- South Africa ranks 102nd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are overweight rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of adults who are overweight. 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).