Share of men who are obese in India
India: Share of men who are obese was 5.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of men who are obese in India, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
India recorded 5.7% for share of men who are obese in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 78.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of men who are obese in India peaked at 5.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1980.
India ranks 176th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of men who are obese in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.2% | — |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +8.4% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | +8.5% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +8.5% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +8.4% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | +8.4% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | +8.4% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | +8.5% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | +8.5% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +8.5% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | +8.6% |
| 1993 | 0.6% | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +8.7% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 0.8% | +9.2% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | +9.4% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | +9.7% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | +9.9% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | +9.8% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | +9.6% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +9.4% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +9.2% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | +8.8% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 3.2% | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 3.9% | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 4.4% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 5.4% | +5.5% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | +5.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 5.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.5%, 68% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 5.7% is below the median for South Asia, which is 6.4%, 90% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of men who are obese in India?
- Share of men who are obese in India was 5.7% 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 men who are obese recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of men who are obese recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1980.
- How does India rank for share of men who are obese?
- India ranks 176th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of men who are obese rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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 men 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 as having a body-mass index (BMI) equal to, or greater than, 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared.