Share of men who are overweight or obese in South Korea
South Korea: Share of men who are overweight or obese was 47.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of men who are overweight or obese in South Korea, 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 overweight or obese in South Korea is 47.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of men who are overweight or obese in South Korea peaked at 47.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.0%, in 1980.
That places South Korea 128th out of 199 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 men who are overweight or obese in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 14.0% | — |
| 1981 | 14.6% | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 15.2% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 15.8% | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 17.2% | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 17.9% | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 18.6% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 19.4% | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 20.1% | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 20.9% | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 21.7% | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 22.5% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 23.3% | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 24.1% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 24.9% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 25.7% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 26.5% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 27.3% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 28.2% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 29.0% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 29.8% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 30.6% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 31.4% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 32.2% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 32.9% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 33.5% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 34.1% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 34.7% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 35.2% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 35.7% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 36.3% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 36.9% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 37.6% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 38.3% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 39.1% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 40.0% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 40.8% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 41.7% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 42.6% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 43.4% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 44.3% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 45.2% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 46.1% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 47.0% | +2.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 47.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 65.1%, 72% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 47.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 53.7%, 88% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.9% | 14.0% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.5% | 20.9% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.3% | 29.0% | 35.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.9% | 35.7% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.2% | 43.4% | 47.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of men who are overweight or obese in South Korea?
- Share of men who are overweight or obese in South Korea was 47.0% 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 overweight or obese recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 47.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of men who are overweight or obese recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.0% in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for share of men who are overweight or obese?
- South Korea ranks 128th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of men who are overweight or obese rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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 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
A person is defined as overweight if they have a body-mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 25. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by his height in meters squared.