How many people in the world are obese?

2.2 billion people are overweight or obese around the world. Egypt has the highest percentage of obese adults; U.S. has the highest percentage of children. A rising number of deaths is resulting from diseases attributable to excess weight. read more

More than 50% of the world’s 671 million obese live in 10 countries (ranked beginning with the countries with the most obese people): US, China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Germany, Pakistan, and Indonesia. read more

Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2016. Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016. read more

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for many health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, and gallstones, among other conditions. 1,6,7 For more information on the causes and health consequences of overweight and obesity, please visit NIDDK’’s webpages on Understanding Adult Overweight and Obesity. read more

Researchers found more than 2 billion people worldwide are now overweight or obese. The highest rates were in the Middle East and North Africa, where nearly 60 percent of men and 65 percent of women are heavy. read more