Kenya
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Trends over time
- Contextual factors
Loading data – please wait …
National obesity risk *7.5/10This 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 *4/11This 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).
Obesity prevalence
Trends over time
Download report card
The report card collates all the most-recent graphics for this country. If you would like to produce a custom report based on selected graphics, just tap the Add to custom PDF button below the graphics you would like to use.Population breakdowns
Drivers
Comorbidities
Economic impact
Policies
Contextual factors
Obesity prevalence
Adults, 2022
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 20-49 |
Sample size: | 22516 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | KNBS and ICF. 2023. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022. Nairobi, Kenya, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: KNBS and ICF |
Notes: | 12263 Women and 10253 Men NB. Combined adult data estimated. These estimates were calculated by weighting male and female survey results. Weighting based on World Bank Population % total female 2020 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS - accessed 04.07.2023) |
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: | 6000 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Non Communicable Diseases Risk Factors STEPS Survey Kenya 2015 |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Women, 2014
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 13143 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, and ICF International. 2015. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014. Rockville, MD, USA: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, 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, 2008-2009
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 7548 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Kenya National Bureau of Statistics - KNBS - and ICF Macro. 2010. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008-09. Calverton, Maryland: KNBS and ICF Macro. |
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, 2003
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 7047 |
Area covered: | National (MACRO) |
References: | Central Bureau of Statistics - CBS/Kenya, Ministry of Health - MOH/Kenya, and ORC Macro. 2004. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003. Calverton, Maryland: CBS, MOH, and ORC Macro. |
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, 1993
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 3294 |
References: | Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 |
Notes: | Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Children, 2022
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-19 |
Sample size: | 6066 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | KNBS and ICF. 2023. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022. Nairobi, Kenya, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: KNBS and ICF |
Notes: | 2960 girls and 3106 boys. Combined adult data estimated. These estimates were calculated by weighting male and female survey results. Weighting based on World Bank Population % total female 2020 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS - accessed 04.07.2023) |
Cutoffs: | WHO 2007 |
Girls, 2014
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-19 |
Sample size: | 2051 |
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. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, and ICF International. 2015. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014. Rockville, MD, USA: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, 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, 2011-2013
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 9-11 |
Sample size: | 563 |
Area covered: | Regional |
References: | Muthuri SK, Wachira LJ, Onywera VO, Tremblay MS. Correlates of objectively measured overweight/obesity and physical activity in Kenyan school children: results from ISCOLE-Kenya. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:436. Published 2014 May 9. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-436 |
Notes: | Nairobi NB Small sample size |
Cutoffs: | WHO |
% Adults living with obesity, 1993-2014
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 1993: Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 2003: Central Bureau of Statistics - CBS/Kenya, Ministry of Health - MOH/Kenya, and ORC Macro. 2004. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003. Calverton, Maryland: CBS, MOH, and ORC Macro. 2008: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics - KNBS - and ICF Macro. 2010. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008-09. Calverton, Maryland: KNBS and ICF Macro. 2014: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, and ICF International. 2015. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014. Rockville, MD, USA: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, and ICF International. |
Notes: | Adults 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. |
% Adults living with obesity, 1993-2014
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 1993: Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 2003: Central Bureau of Statistics - CBS/Kenya, Ministry of Health - MOH/Kenya, and ORC Macro. 2004. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003. Calverton, Maryland: CBS, MOH, and ORC Macro. 2008: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics - KNBS - and ICF Macro. 2010. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008-09. Calverton, Maryland: KNBS and ICF Macro. 2014: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, and ICF International. 2015. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014. Rockville, MD, USA: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Health/Kenya, National AIDS Control Council/Kenya, Kenya Medical Research Institute, National Council for Population and Development/Kenya, and ICF International. |
Notes: | Adults 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. |