Ecuador
Upper-middle income
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Contextual factors
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National obesity risk *8/10This 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 *8/11This 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
Adults, 2018
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 19-59 |
| Sample size: | 74786 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | National Health and Nutrition Survey - ENSANUT 2018. https://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/salud-salud-reproductiva-y-nutricion/ (Last accessed 18.05.21) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Adults, 2018
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 18-69 |
| Sample size: | 6688 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Ecuador STEPS Survey 2018. https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog/774 (Accessed 13.10.2020) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Adults, 2012
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 19-59 |
| Sample size: | 29475 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | ENSANUT-ECU 2012. Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion (National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Children, 2018
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 5-11 |
| Sample size: | 22985 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | National Health and Nutrition Survey - ENSANUT 2018. https://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/salud-salud-reproductiva-y-nutricion/ (Last accessed 18.05.21) |
Children, 2008-2009
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 10-16 |
| Sample size: | 770 |
| Area covered: | Regional |
| References: | Ochoa- Aviles A, Andrade S, Huynh T et al. Prevalece and socioeconomic differences of risk factors of cardiovascular disease in Ecadorian adolescents. Pediatric obesity advance online 2012 |
| Notes: | Two regions: urban area (Cuenca), and rural area (N abón) |
| Cutoffs: | IOTF |
0-5 years, 2023-2024
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 22209 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Encuesta Nacional de Desnutrición Infantil - ENDI Ronda 2, Ecuador 2023-2024 |
| 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/. NB. Excluding Galápagos Islands |
| 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, 2022-2023
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 21347 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Encuesta Nacional de Desnutrición Infantil - ENDI, Ecuador 2022-2023 |
| 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/. NB. Excluding Galápagos Islands |
| 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, 2018-2019
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1533107 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición Ecuador, (ENSANUT-ECU) 2018 |
| 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, 2013-2014
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1507785 |
| References: | LSMS: Informe de Resultados Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida (ECV) 2013-2014, Instituto Nacional de Estadística Y Censos, 2015 |
| 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, 2012
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1588640 |
| References: | Other: Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (ENSANUT-ECU) 2011-2013 |
| 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, 2005-2006
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1432700 |
| References: | Other: Encuesta de Condiciones De Vida, Ecuador 2005-2006, V Ronda |
| 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, 2004
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 5215 |
| References: | RHS: Encuesta demografía y de salud materna e infantil, ENDEMAIN 2004: Informe final. Quito, Ecuador: CEPAR, 2005 |
| 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, 1998-1999
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1354812 |
| References: | LSMS: Equidad desde el principio - situacion nutricional de los niños ecuatorianos. Encuesta de condiciones de vida, 1998. Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud y Ministerio de Salud Publica, Ecuador. Washington, D.C.: OPS, 2001 |
| 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 |
