Tanzania
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Trends over time
- Population breakdowns
- Drivers
- Comorbidities
- Actions
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 *4.5/11This 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).
* Based on estimated data. For more information see Publications
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
Insufficient activity
Soft drink consumption
Fruit consumption
Vegetable consumption
Fast food consumption
Processed meat consumption
Grains consumption
Depression
Anxiety
Roots of obesity »
Like all chronic diseases, the root causes/drivers of obesity are complex. Select here to view 'other' root causes/drivers.Comorbidities
Obesity prevalence
Women, 2015-2016
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 11634 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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, 2012
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 25-64 |
Sample size: | 5680 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | WHO STEPS Survey Tanzania 2012, available at https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/steps/tanzania/en/ (last accessed 21.10.20) |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 2011
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 25-64 |
Sample size: | 2520 |
Area covered: | Regional (Zanzibar) |
References: | STEPS |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Women, 2010
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 8789 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Demographic Health Survey Tanzania 2010 |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Adults, 1998-1999
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 25-64 |
Sample size: | 9313 |
Area covered: | Subnational |
References: | Bovet P et al. (2002). Distribution of blood pressure, body mass index and smoking habits in the urban population of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and association with socioeconomic status. University of Social and Preventive Medicine. WHO Infobase. |
Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². |
Women, 1991-1992
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 4597 |
References: | 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. |
% Adults living with obesity in Tanzania 1991-2015
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 1991: Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 2010: Demographic Health Survey Tanzania 2010 2015: Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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 Tanzania 1991-2015
Survey type: | Measured |
References: | 1991: Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 2010: Demographic Health Survey Tanzania 2010 2015: Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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. |
Overweight/obesity by education
Women, 2015-2016
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 11635 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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. |
Overweight/obesity by age
Women, 2015-2016
Survey type: | Measured |
Sample size: | 11635 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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. |
Overweight/obesity by region
Women, 2015-2016
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 11635 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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. |
Overweight/obesity by socio-economic group
Women, 2015-2016
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 15-49 |
Sample size: | 11635 |
Area covered: | National |
References: | Demographic Health Survey, Tanzania 2015-16 (http://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-FR321-DHS-Final-Reports.cfm accessed 4th January 2017) |
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. |
Insufficient physical activity
Adults, 2016
References: | Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1.9 million participants. Lancet 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7 |
Men, 2016
References: | Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1.9 million participants. Lancet 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7 |
Women, 2016
References: | Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1.9 million participants. Lancet 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7 |
Children, 2010
Age: | 11-17 |
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A893?lang=en |
Notes: | % of school going adolescents not meeting WHO recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, i.e. doing less than 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. |
Definitions: | % Adolescents insufficiently active (age standardised estimate) |
Boys, 2010
Age: | 11-17 |
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A893?lang=en |
Notes: | % of school going adolescents not meeting WHO recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, i.e. doing less than 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. |
Definitions: | % Adolescents insufficiently active (age standardised estimate) |
Girls, 2010
Age: | 11-17 |
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A893?lang=en |
Notes: | % of school going adolescents not meeting WHO recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, i.e. doing less than 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. |
Definitions: | % Adolescents insufficiently active (age standardised estimate) |
Average daily frequency of carbonated soft drink consumption
Children, 2009-2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 12-17 |
References: | Beal et al. (2019). Global Patterns of Adolescent Fruit, Vegetable, Carbonated Soft Drink, and Fast-food consumption: A meta-analysis of global school-based student health surveys. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/0379572119848287 sourced from Food Systems Dashboard http://www.foodsystemsdashboard.org/food-system |
Estimated per-capita fruit intake
Adults, 2017
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 25+ |
References: | Global Burden of Disease, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation http://ghdx.healthdata.org/ |
Definitions: | Estimated per-capita fruit intake (g/day) |
Prevalence of less-than-daily fruit consumption
Children, 2009-2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 12-17 |
References: | Global School-based Student Health Surveys. Beal et al (2019). Global Patterns of Adolescent Fruit, Vegetable, Carbonated Soft Drink, and Fast-food consumption: A meta-analysis of global school-based student health surveys. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/0379572119848287. Sourced from Food Systems Dashboard http://www.foodsystemsdashboard.org/food-system |
Definitions: | Prevalence of less-than-daily fruit consumption (% less-than-daily fruit consumption) |
Prevalence of less-than-daily vegetable consumption
Children, 2009-2015
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 12-17 |
References: | Beal et al. (2019). Global Patterns of Adolescent Fruit, Vegetable, Carbonated Soft Drink, and Fast-food consumption: A meta-analysis of global school-based student health surveys. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/0379572119848287 sourced from Food Systems Dashboard http://www.foodsystemsdashboard.org/food-system |
Definitions: | Prevalence of less-than-daily vegetable consumption (% less-than-daily vegetable consumption) |
Average weekly frequency of fast food consumption
Children, 2009-2015
Age: | 12-17 |
References: | Beal et al. (2019). Global Patterns of Adolescent Fruit, Vegetable, Carbonated Soft Drink, and Fast-food consumption: A meta-analysis of global school-based student health surveys. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/0379572119848287 sourced from Food Systems Dashboard http://www.foodsystemsdashboard.org/food-system |
Estimated per-capita processed meat intake
Adults, 2017
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 25+ |
References: | Global Burden of Disease, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation http://ghdx.healthdata.org/ |
Definitions: | Estimated per-capita processed meat intake (g per day) |
Estimated per-capita whole grains intake
Adults, 2017
Survey type: | Measured |
Age: | 25+ |
References: | Global Burden of Disease, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation http://ghdx.healthdata.org/ |
Definitions: | Estimated per-capita whole grains intake (g/day) |
Mental health - depression disorders
Adults, 2015
References: | Prevalence data from Global Burden of Disease study 2015 (http://ghdx.healthdata.org) published in: Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates. Geneva:World Health Organization; 2017. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. |
Definitions: | % of population with depression disorders |
Mental health - anxiety disorders
Adults, 2015
References: | Prevalence data from Global Burden of Disease study 2015 (http://ghdx.healthdata.org) published in: Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates. Geneva:World Health Organization; 2017. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. |
Definitions: | % of population with anxiety disorders |
Oesophageal cancer
Men, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, oesophagus, adults ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, oesophagus, adults ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Breast cancer
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, breast, females, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Colorectal cancer
Men, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, colorectum, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, colorectum, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Pancreatic cancer
Men, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, pancreas, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, pancreas, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Gallbladder cancer
Men, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, gallbladder, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, gallbladder, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Kidney cancer
Men, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, kidney, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, kidney, adults, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Cancer of the uterus
Women, 2018
Age: | 20+ |
References: | Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer incidence rates http://gco.iarc.fr/ (last accessed 30th June 2020) |
Definitions: | Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, cervix uteri, females, ages 20+. ASR (World) per 100,000 |
Raised blood pressure
Adults, 2015
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A875?lang=en |
Definitions: | Age Standardised estimated % Raised blood pressure 2015 (SBP>=140 OR DBP>=90). |
Men, 2015
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A875?lang=en |
Definitions: | Age Standardised estimated % Raised blood pressure 2015 (SBP>=140 OR DBP>=90). |
Women, 2015
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A875?lang=en |
Definitions: | Age Standardised estimated % Raised blood pressure 2015 (SBP>=140 OR DBP>=90). |
Raised cholesterol
Adults, 2008
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A885 |
Definitions: | % Raised total cholesterol (>= 5.0 mmol/L) (age-standardized estimate). |
Men, 2008
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A885 |
Definitions: | % Raised total cholesterol (>= 5.0 mmol/L) (age-standardized estimate). |
Women, 2008
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A885 |
Definitions: | % Raised total cholesterol (>= 5.0 mmol/L) (age-standardized estimate). |
Raised fasting blood glucose
Men, 2014
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A869?lang=en |
Definitions: | Age Standardised % raised fasting blood glucose (>= 7.0 mmol/L or on medication). |
Women, 2014
References: | Global Health Observatory data repository, World Health Organisation, http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A869?lang=en |
Definitions: | Age Standardised % raised fasting blood glucose (>= 7.0 mmol/L or on medication). |
Diabetes prevalence
Adults, 2017
References: | Reproduced with kind permission of IDF, International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 8th edition. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation, 2017. http://www.diabetesatlas.org |
Definitions: | Diabetes age-adjusted comparative prevalence (%). |