LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to the latest Eurostat figures, 16.3% of European Union adults were classified as obese in 2025. An additional 35.4% of adults fell into the pre-obese category, making the combined total 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and above. These statistics highlight that over half of the adult population in the EU had a body mass index considered overweight.
The data further revealed notable disparities between genders within the European Union. Obesity rates stood at 17.4% for men and 15.3% for women. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men, compared to 29.3% of women. Additionally, women exhibited a higher prevalence of underweight at 2.9%, whereas men showed a rate of 1.0% in this category.
Eurostat highlighted significant differences in obesity prevalence across EU member states. Malta led with the highest share, with 26.6% of adults classified as obese in 2025. Latvia was next at 24.6%, and Finland ranked third at 23.2%. Conversely, Italy registered the lowest obesity rate at 7.0%, followed by Greece at 12.8% and Romania at 12.9%.
Malta reports the highest obesity prevalence in the EU
Body mass index, or BMI, assesses weight in kilograms relative to the square of height in metres. Eurostat defines adults with a BMI of 30 or above as obese, while those with a BMI between 25 and below 30 are categorized as pre-obese. The broader overweight group includes both obese and pre-obese individuals, with a BMI under 18.5 indicating underweight.
Gender-specific data indicate that excess weight impacted a larger proportion of men than women in 2025. The combined obesity and pre-obesity rates amounted to 59.3% for men and 44.6% for women. The difference in obesity alone was less pronounced between the sexes. These figures pertain to adults aged 18 and over and serve as a standardized measure for comparing weight categories across different EU nations.
Obesity statistics aid EU health surveillance efforts
The prevalence of obesity is also integral to European efforts linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to indicators related to SDG 2, which emphasizes zero hunger and better nutrition. Moreover, these figures support monitoring of SDG 3, dedicated to health and well-being. Such data allows policymakers to evaluate nutrition and health trends across participating countries with comparable metrics.
The 2025 data position obesity alongside pre-obesity as key factors contributing to excess weight within the EU. Obesity alone affected approximately one in six adults, while pre-obesity influenced more than one in three. The results vary from 7.0% in Italy to 26.6% in Malta. Overall, the latest figures underscore significant differences among member states, while confirming that the combined overweight categories encompass a majority of the adult population across the EU.