Benin
Lower-middle income
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Trends over time
- Contextual factors
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National obesity risk *7/10This is a composite ‘obesity risk’ score (out of 10, the highest risk) based on obesity prevalence, rate of increase, likelihood of meeting the 2025 target, treatment indicator and childhood stunting levels.Childhood obesity risk *4.5/11This is a ‘risk score’ for each country’s likelihood of having or acquiring a major childhood obesity problem during the 2020s, taking account of current prevalence levels and risk for future obesity (based on stunting among infants, maternal obesity, maternal smoking, and breastfeeding rates).
Report cards
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Population breakdowns
Drivers
Comorbidities
Economic impact
Policies
Contextual factors
Obesity prevalence
Women, 2017-2018
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 6946 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique INSAE and ICF. 2019. Enquête Démographique et de Santé au Bénin, 2017-2018. Cotonou, Bénin and Rockville, Maryland, USA : INSAE and ICF. https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR350/FR350.pdf (last accessed 02.08.22) |
| Notes: | Demographic Health Survey data includes ever married women aged 15-49 years only and may include males aged 15-59. |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Adults, 2015
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 18-69 |
| Sample size: | 5126 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | 2015 STEPS Country Report Benin Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/ncd-surveillance/data-reporting/benin/steps/benin-2015-steps-report-fr.pdf?sfvrsn=26b7fb29_4&download=true (last accessed 09-02-2023) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Women, 2011-2012
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 14279 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique - INSAE/Bénin and ICF International. 2013. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Bénin 2011-2012. Calverton, Maryland, USA: INSAE and ICF International. |
| Notes: | Demographic Health Survey data includes ever married women aged 15-49 years only and may include males aged 15-59. |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Adults, 2008
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 25-64 |
| Sample size: | 6904 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Benin 2008 STEPS Report (in French) available at https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog/723/related-materials (last accessed 24.09.21) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Women, 2006
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 14464 |
| Area covered: | National (MACRO) |
| References: | Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique - INSAE/Bénin and ICF International. 2013. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Bénin 2011-2012. Calverton, Maryland, USA: INSAE and ICF International. |
| Notes: | Demographic Health Survey data includes ever married women aged 15-49 years only and may include males aged 15-59. |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Women, 1996
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 2266 |
| References: | Kodjogbé, Nicalse, Gora Mboup, Justin Tossou, Léopoldine de Souza, Timothée Gandaho, Alphonse Guédémé, Thomas Houedokoho, Rafatou Houndékon, Thomas Tohouegnon, Suzanne Zomahoun, Virgile Capo-Chichi, and Andrée Cossi. 1997. Enquête Démographique et de Santé, République de Bénin 1996. Calverton, Maryland USA: Institut National de la Statistique et de l'Analyse Économique/Bénin and Macro International. |
| Notes: | Demographic Health Survey data includes ever married women aged 15-49 years only and may include males aged 15-59. |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Children, 2016
| Survey type: | Self-reported |
| Age: | 13-17 |
| Sample size: | 2536 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Benin - Global School-Based Student Health Survey 2016 https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/gshs/gshs_fs_benin_2016.pdf?ua=1 (last accessed 24.11.20) |
| Cutoffs: | WHO |
Girls, 2011-2012
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-19 |
| Sample size: | 2282 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Benedict, Rukundo K., Allison Schmale, and Sorrel Namaste. 2018. Adolescent Nutrition 2000-2017: DHS Data on Adolescents Age 15-19. DHS Comparative Report No. 47. Rockville, Maryland, USA: ICF. Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique - INSAE/Bénin and ICF International. 2013. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Bénin 2011-2012. Calverton, Maryland, USA: INSAE and ICF International. |
| Definitions: | BMI for age: between +1 SD and +2 SD is overweight and greater than +2 SD is obesity |
| Cutoffs: | WHO 2007 |
Children, 2009
| Survey type: | Self-reported |
| Age: | 13-15 |
| Sample size: | 2690 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), available at https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/gshs/Benin_2009_FS.pdf?ua=1 (last accessed 24.11.20) |
| Cutoffs: | WHO |
0-5 years, 2021
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 12900 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Enquête par Grappes à Indicateurs Multiples, Bénin, 2021-2022, Rapport des résultats de l’enquête |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight estimates: National and Disaggregated, July 2025, New York. Weighted sample size. For more information, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme/. |
| Definitions: | Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Cutoffs: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 2017-2018
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 12832 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique INSAE and ICF. 2019. Enquête Démographique et de Santé au Bénin, 2017-2018. Cotonou, Bénin and Rockville, Maryland, USA : INSAE and ICF. https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR350/FR350.pdf (last accessed 10.08.22) |
| Notes: | Infants. |
| Definitions: | Weight for height. Overweight or obesity = >+2SD |
| Cutoffs: | Other |
0-5 years, 2017-2018
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 13260 |
| References: | DHS: Enquête Démographique et de Santé au Bénin, 2017-2018. Cotonou, Bénin et Rockville, Maryland, USA : INSAE et ICF |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 2014
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 11979 |
| References: | MICS: Enquête par grappes à indicateurs multiples 2014, Rapport final , Cotonou, Bénin : Institut national de la statistique et de l’analyse économique |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 2008
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1012446 |
| References: | CFSVA: Analyse Globale de la Vulnérabilité, de la Sécurité Alimentaire et de la Nutrition (AGVSAN) 2008 |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 2001
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 4880 |
| References: | DHS: Enquête démographique et de santé au Bénin 2001. Demographic and Health Surveys. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Institut National de la Statistique et de l'Analyse Economique et ORC Macro, 2002 |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 1996
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 2529 |
| References: | DHS: Enquête démographique et de santé 1996. Demographic and Health Surveys. Ministère du Plan, de la Restructuration Economique et de la Promotion de l'Emploi. Cotonou, Benin, 1997 |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
% Adults living with obesity in Benin 1996-2017
| Survey type: | Measured |
| References: | 1996: Kodjogbé, Nicalse, Gora Mboup, Justin Tossou, Léopoldine de Souza, Timothée Gandaho, Alphonse Guédémé, Thomas Houedokoho, Rafatou Houndékon, Thomas Tohouegnon, Suzanne Zomahoun, Virgile Capo-Chichi, and Andrée Cossi. 1997. Enquête Démographique et de Santé, République de Bénin 1996. Calverton, Maryland USA: Institut National de la Statistique et de l'Analyse Économique/Bénin and Macro International. 2006, 2011: Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique - INSAE/Bénin and ICF International. 2013. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Bénin 2011-2012. Calverton, Maryland, USA: INSAE and ICF International. 2017: Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique INSAE and ICF. 2019. Enquête Démographique et de Santé au Bénin, 2017-2018. Cotonou, Bénin and Rockville, Maryland, USA : INSAE and ICF. https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR350/FR350.pdf (last accessed 02.08.22) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
| Different methodologies may have been used to collect this data and so data from different surveys may not be strictly comparable. Please check with original data sources for methodologies used. | |
% Adults living with overweight or obesity in Benin 1996-2017
| Survey type: | Measured |
| References: | 1996: Kodjogbé, Nicalse, Gora Mboup, Justin Tossou, Léopoldine de Souza, Timothée Gandaho, Alphonse Guédémé, Thomas Houedokoho, Rafatou Houndékon, Thomas Tohouegnon, Suzanne Zomahoun, Virgile Capo-Chichi, and Andrée Cossi. 1997. Enquête Démographique et de Santé, République de Bénin 1996. Calverton, Maryland USA: Institut National de la Statistique et de l'Analyse Économique/Bénin and Macro International. 2006, 2011: Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique - INSAE/Bénin and ICF International. 2013. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Bénin 2011-2012. Calverton, Maryland, USA: INSAE and ICF International. 2017: Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique INSAE and ICF. 2019. Enquête Démographique et de Santé au Bénin, 2017-2018. Cotonou, Bénin and Rockville, Maryland, USA : INSAE and ICF. https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR350/FR350.pdf (last accessed 02.08.22) |
| Notes: | Adults aged 15-49 |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
| Different methodologies may have been used to collect this data and so data from different surveys may not be strictly comparable. Please check with original data sources for methodologies used. | |
