• 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).
* Based on estimated data. For more information see Publications

Obesity prevalence

Trends over time

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Population breakdowns

By education

By age

By region

By socio-economic group

Drivers

Insufficient activity

Fruit 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.

Breastfeeding

Comorbidities

Oesophageal cancer

Breast cancer

Colorectal cancer

Pancreatic cancer

Gallbladder cancer

Kidney cancer

Cancer of the uterus

Raised blood pressure

Raised cholesterol

Raised fasting blood glucose

Diabetes prevalence

Economic impact

Economic impact

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Policies

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Contextual factors

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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