LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In 2025, European Union adults had an obesity prevalence of 16.3%, based on the latest Eurostat figures. An additional 35.4% of adults were classified as pre-obese. Together, these groups represented 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and older. The data indicate that over half of the EU’s adult population had a body mass index categorized as overweight.
The statistics also reveal notable differences between genders within the EU. The obesity rate was 17.4% among men and 15.3% among women. Pre-obesity impacted 41.9% of men, compared to 29.3% of women. The prevalence of underweight was higher in women at 2.9%, whereas men showed a rate of 1.0%.
Eurostat highlighted significant disparities in obesity prevalence across EU member states. Malta topped the list with 26.6% of adults classified as obese in 2025. Latvia was next at 24.6%, and Finland ranked third with 23.2%. Conversely, Italy recorded the lowest obesity rate at 7.0%. Greece followed at 12.8%, with Romania close behind at 12.9%.
Malta Exhibits Highest Obesity Rate in the EU
BMI, or body mass index, evaluates weight in kilograms relative to height in metres squared. Eurostat considers adults with a BMI of 30 or higher as obese. Those with a BMI between 25 and below 30 are classified as pre-obese. The combined overweight category encompasses both pre-obese and obese individuals, while a BMI under 18.5 indicates underweight status.
The gender-based data show that excess weight was more prevalent among men than women in 2025. When combining obesity and pre-obesity rates, the figures are 59.3% for men and 44.6% for women. The separation within the obesity category alone reveals a narrower gap. These figures, covering individuals aged 18 and above, serve as a standardized comparison across EU nations for weight classifications.
EU Health Monitoring Uses Obesity Data
Obesity rates contribute to European health monitoring efforts aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This indicator supports SDG 2, which aims at zero hunger and better nutrition, as well as SDG 3, focusing on health and well-being. These metrics enable authorities to assess nutritional and health statuses across nations with comparable data.
The 2025 data show that obesity, along with pre-obesity, forms a major part of excess weight issues in the EU. About one in six adults were obese, while pre-obesity affected more than one in three. Variations among countries ranged from 7.0% in Italy to 26.6% in Malta. Overall, the latest figures highlight considerable differences across member states but confirm that the combined overweight categories encompass a majority of the adult population within the EU.