LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In 2025, obesity was present in 16.3% of European Union adults, according to data from Eurostat. An additional 35.4% of adults fell into the pre-obese classification. These two groups together comprised 51.7% of people aged 18 and older. The data indicates that over half of the EU’s adult population is affected by excess weight. Eurostat employs body mass index, or BMI, as the metric to compare weight categories across member countries.
Higher rates of both obesity and pre-obesity were observed among men compared to women. The obesity rate for men reached 17.4%, whereas women had a rate of 15.3%. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men and 29.3% of women. When combining these categories, the overweight rate among men stood at 59.3%, while for women it was 44.6%. Underweight prevalence was notably higher among women, at 2.9%, compared with 1.0% among men.
The results from individual nations revealed considerable variation within the EU. Malta exhibited the highest obesity rate at 26.6% of adults. Latvia followed with 24.6%, and Finland recorded 23.2%. Italy had the lowest rate at 7.0%. Greece reported 12.8%, and Romania was at 12.9%. The data shows nearly a 20 percentage point gap between Malta and Italy, representing the largest disparity in the dataset.
Malta Tops EU Obesity Statistics
BMI compares an individual’s weight in kilograms to the square of their height in metres. A BMI of 30 or higher is classified as obese, while a BMI from 25 up to below 30 indicates pre-obesity. The broader overweight category combines both classifications. A BMI under 18.5 is categorized as underweight. These thresholds serve as a standardized statistical framework for comparing adult weight levels across EU nations.
The 2025 figures also reveal that pre-obesity remains more prevalent than obesity among adults. Over one-third of adults are in the pre-obese group, and approximately one in six meets the criteria for obesity. The combined percentage surpasses 50%, indicating a majority of adults are overweight or obese. The gender divide accentuates this trend, with men displaying significantly higher pre-obesity levels, although the difference in obesity rates between genders was less pronounced.
Tracking Obesity as Part of EU Health Objectives
This obesity measure also supports the European Union’s monitoring of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It helps in tracking SDG 2, which pertains to hunger, food security, and improved nutrition, as well as SDG 3, focusing on health and well-being. The use of consistent BMI categories allows nations to compare adult weight trends over time and provides a uniform statistical measure for assessing weight distribution across EU countries.
The 2025 results highlight excess weight as one of the most widespread weight issues among EU adults. Obesity alone affected 16.3%, with pre-obesity accounting for an additional 35.4%. Malta, Latvia, and Finland recorded the highest obesity rates within the bloc, whereas Italy, Greece, and Romania reported the lowest. Despite notable differences among nations, the data consistently shows that overweight categories collectively encompass a majority of the adult population across the European Union.