LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to the most recent Eurostat data, 16.3% of European Union adults were classified as obese in 2025. An additional 35.4% fell into the pre-obese group. Combined, these segments represented 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and older. These statistics indicate that over half of the EU adult population had a body mass index categorized as overweight.
The data also revealed notable gender disparities across EU nations. The prevalence of obesity was 17.4% among men and 15.3% among women. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men compared to 29.3% of women. Women showed a higher rate of underweight individuals at 2.9%, whereas among men, this share was 1.0%.
Eurostat highlighted significant differences in obesity prevalence among member states. Malta topped the list with 26.6% of adults classified as obese in 2025. Latvia came second at 24.6%, followed by Finland at 23.2%. Conversely, Italy had the lowest rate at 7.0%, with Greece at 12.8% and Romania close behind at 12.9%.
Malta Records the Highest EU Obesity Rate
Body mass index, known as 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. Those with a BMI between 25 and less than 30 are categorized as pre-obese. The broader overweight classification includes both obese and pre-obese individuals, while a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight.
Gender data indicates that excess weight affected a larger proportion of men than women in 2025. When combining obesity and pre-obesity rates, the figures stand at 59.3% for men and 44.6% for women. The obesity-only figures show a smaller difference between the sexes. These statistics encompass individuals aged 18 and older, offering a standardized measure for cross-country comparisons of weight categories within the EU.
Obesity Data Enhances EU Health Surveillance Efforts
Moreover, the obesity rate contributes to European monitoring linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It supports indicators related to SDG 2, which aims at zero hunger and better nutrition. Additionally, the metric aids in tracking progress for SDG 3, which emphasizes health and well-being. These indicators enable policymakers to monitor nutrition and health trends across participating nations with comparable data.
The 2025 data underscores that obesity, along with pre-obesity, remains a significant factor of excess weight in the EU. Approximately one in six adults was affected by obesity alone, while pre-obesity impacted more than one in three. Country-specific rates ranged from 7.0% in Italy to 26.6% in Malta. These latest findings highlight substantial variation across member states, while also confirming that the combined overweight categories involve a majority of EU adults.