Share of men who are obese in Iran
Iran: Share of men who are obese was 18.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of men who are obese in Iran, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of men who are obese in Iran stood at 18.8%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of men who are obese in Iran peaked at 18.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1980.
Iran ranks 108th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of men who are obese in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.8% | — |
| 1981 | 3.9% | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 4.1% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 4.3% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 4.4% | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 4.6% | +4.4% |
| 1986 | 4.8% | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 5.1% | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 5.3% | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 5.5% | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 5.8% | +4.5% |
| 1991 | 6.0% | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 6.3% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 6.6% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 6.9% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 7.2% | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 7.5% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 7.8% | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 8.2% | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 8.5% | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 8.9% | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 9.7% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 10.1% | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 10.6% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 11.0% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 11.4% | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 11.8% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 12.3% | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 12.7% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 13.2% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 13.6% | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 14.0% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 14.5% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 15.0% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 16.0% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 16.4% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 17.5% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 17.8% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 18.1% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 18.5% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 18.8% | +1.8% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 18.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 20.7%, 91% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 18.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25.5%, 74% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.6% | 3.8% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.1% | 5.8% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.8% | 8.9% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.2% | 13.2% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.1% | 17.5% | 18.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More reference data data for Iran
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 35,629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Crop Residues 1,936 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 34.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 281.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of men who are obese in Iran?
- Share of men who are obese in Iran was 18.8% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of men who are obese recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1980.
- How does Iran rank for share of men who are obese?
- Iran ranks 108th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of men who are obese rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.