LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In 2025, European Union adults experienced a 16.3% obesity rate, based on the latest Eurostat figures. An additional 35.4% of adults were classified as pre-obese. Combined, these groups made up 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and above. The data indicates that more than half of the adult population in the EU had a body mass index categorized as overweight.
The statistics further reveal notable disparities between men and women across the EU. The prevalence of obesity was 17.4% among men and 15.3% among women. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men, in contrast to 29.3% of women. Women also showed a higher rate of underweight at 2.9%, whereas the figure for men stood at 1.0%.
Eurostat documented significant variation in obesity prevalence among EU member states. Malta registered the highest proportion, with 26.6% of adults classified as obese in 2025. Latvia followed at 24.6%, and Finland ranked third at 23.2%. Conversely, Italy reported the lowest obesity rate at 7.0%. Greece came in second at 12.8%, with Romania close behind at 12.9%.
Malta reports highest EU obesity rate
Body mass index, known as BMI, evaluates weight in kilograms relative to height in metres squared. Eurostat considers adults with a BMI of 30 or above as obese. Those with a BMI ranging from 25 to less than 30 are categorized as pre-obese. The broader overweight group includes both obese and pre-obese individuals, while a BMI below 18.5 is classified as underweight.
Gender-specific data indicates that excess weight impacted a higher proportion of men than women in 2025. When combining obesity and pre-obesity figures, 59.3% of men and 44.6% of women are affected. The difference becomes smaller within the obesity-only category. The data, which covers individuals aged 18 and older, provides a standardized metric to compare weight categories across different EU nations.
Obesity statistics aid EU health surveillance
The obesity rate also contributes to European monitoring aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It plays a role in indicators related to SDG 2, which promotes zero hunger and better nutrition. Additionally, it supports tracking SDG 3, focusing on health and well-being. These metrics enable policymakers to assess nutrition and health conditions using comparable data across participating countries.
The 2025 data highlight that obesity, along with pre-obesity, constitutes a significant portion of excess weight within the EU. About one in six adults suffers from obesity, while over one in three are pre-obese. The figures vary significantly by country, ranging from 7.0% in Italy to 26.6% in Malta. Overall, the latest statistics confirm considerable differences among member states but emphasize that overweight categories encompass a majority of EU adults.