Zambia
Lower-middle income
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Trends over time
- Contextual factors
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National obesity risk *6.5/10This 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 *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
Adults, 2017
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 18-69 |
| Sample size: | 3993 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Zambia STEPS Survey 2017. https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/steps/Zambia-NCD-STEPS-Survey-Report-2017.pdf?ua=1 (accessed 21.01.20) |
| Notes: | STEPS Survey |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Women, 2013-2014
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 14502 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International. 2014. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, 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, 2007
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 6085 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, Tropical Diseases Research Centre/Zambia, University of Zambia, and Macro International. 2009. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2007. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia and Macro International Inc. |
| 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, 2001-2002
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 6591 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Central Board of Health/Zambia, and ORC Macro. 2003. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Central Board of Health/Zambia, 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, 1992
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-49 |
| Sample size: | 3239 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 |
| Notes: | The data from this paper was sourced from the Demographic Health Survey Programme https://dhsprogram.com/ Central Statistical Office and Macro International. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office and Macro International |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Girls, 2013-2014
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 15-19 |
| Sample size: | 2736 |
| 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. Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International. 2014. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, 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 |
Girls, 2013-2014
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 10-19 |
| Sample size: | 4757 |
| Area covered: | Regional |
| References: | Soler-Hampejsek E, Hewett PC, Spielman K, Austrian K. Transitions to adulthood and the changing body mass index of adolescent girls in Zambia. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2020 May;1468(1):74-85. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14291. Epub 2020 Jan 9. PMID: 31917462; PMCID: PMC7317560 |
| Notes: | Representative of a largely rural setting |
| Cutoffs: | WHO |
0-5 years, 2018-2019
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 9593 |
| References: | DHS: Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2018. Lusaka, Zambia, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: Zambia Statistics Agency, Ministry of Health, and 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, 2013-2014
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 12507 |
| References: | DHS: Zambia demographic and health Survey 2013-14. Demographic and Health Surveys. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Health, and ICF International, 2014. |
| 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, 2007
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 5699 |
| References: | DHS: Zambia demographic and health survey 2007. Demographic and Health Surveys. Calverton, Maryland, USA: CSO and Macro International Inc., 2009 |
| 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, 2001-2002
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 5933 |
| References: | DHS: Zambia demographic and health survey 2001-2002. Demographic and Health Surveys. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office, Central Board of Health, and ORC Macro, 2003 |
| 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, 1999
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 793369 |
| References: | MICS: Zambia 1999 multiple indicator cluster survey report: Report on the monitoring of the end of decade goals. Lusaka, Zambia, 2000 |
| 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, 1996-1997
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 5520 |
| References: | DHS: Zambia demographic and health survey 1996. Demographic and Health Surveys. Calverton, Maryland: Central Statistical Office and Macro International Inc., 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 |
0-5 years, 1992
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 4988 |
| References: | DHS: Zambia demographic and health survey 1992. Demographic and Health Surveys. Central Statistical Office. Lusaka, Zambia, 1993 |
| 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 Zambia 1992-2013
| Survey type: | Measured |
| References: | 1992: Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 2001: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Central Board of Health/Zambia, and ORC Macro. 2003. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Central Board of Health/Zambia, and ORC Macro. 2007: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, Tropical Diseases Research Centre/Zambia, University of Zambia, and Macro International. 2009. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2007. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia and Macro International Inc. 2013: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International. 2014. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International. |
| 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 Zambia 1992-2013
| Survey type: | Measured |
| References: | 1992: Martorell R, Khan LK, Hughes ML, Grummer Strawn LM. Obesity in women from developing countries. EJCN (2000) 54;247-252 2001: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Central Board of Health/Zambia, and ORC Macro. 2003. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Central Board of Health/Zambia, and ORC Macro. 2007: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, Tropical Diseases Research Centre/Zambia, University of Zambia, and Macro International. 2009. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2007. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia and Macro International Inc. 2013: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International. 2014. Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Central Statistical Office/Zambia, Ministry of Health/Zambia, and ICF International. |
| 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. | |
