Share of men who are obese in Japan
Japan: Share of men who are obese was 8.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of men who are obese in Japan, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of men who are obese in Japan is 8.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 54.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of men who are obese in Japan peaked at 8.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1980.
That places Japan 156th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.9% | — |
| 1981 | 0.9% | +5.7% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | +5.8% |
| 1987 | 1.3% | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 1.6% | +5.5% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | +5.2% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 2.1% | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 4.2% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 4.4% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 4.6% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 4.8% | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 5.2% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 6.7% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 7.0% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 7.3% | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 7.7% | +4.6% |
| 2024 | 8.0% | +4.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 8.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 25.6%, 31% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Japan's 8.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 20.5%, 39% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 2.6% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 4.4% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.4% | 6.7% | 8.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 153 Equatorial Guinea 8.5% compare
- 154 Cote d'Ivoire 8.2% compare
- 155 Comoros 8.1% compare
- 157 Guinea-Bissau 7.8% compare
- 158 Chad 7.7% compare
- 159 Philippines 7.5% compare
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of men who are obese in Japan?
- Share of men who are obese in Japan was 8.0% 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 Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of men who are obese recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1980.
- How does Japan rank for share of men who are obese?
- Japan ranks 156th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of men who are obese rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan 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.