LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to data from Eurostat, 16.3% of adults within the European Union were classified as obese in 2025. An additional 35.4% of adults fell into the pre-obese category, together representing 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and older. These statistics indicate that more than half of the EU’s adult population is affected by excess weight. Eurostat utilizes body mass index, or BMI, as a standard metric to compare weight classifications across member countries.
In terms of gender differences, males recorded higher prevalence rates of both obesity and pre-obesity than females. The obesity rate among men stood at 17.4%, while women had a rate of 15.3%. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men compared to 29.3% of women. When combining both categories, the overweight prevalence among men was 59.3%, whereas for women it was 44.6%. Underweight cases were more prevalent among women, at 2.9%, in contrast to 1.0% among men.
National-level data reveals a significant variation across EU member states. Malta reported the highest adult obesity rate at 26.6%, with Latvia following at 24.6%, and Finland at 23.2%. Conversely, Italy exhibited the lowest rate, at 7.0%. Greece’s rate was 12.8%, and Romania’s was 12.9%. The figures across countries show nearly a 20 percentage point gap between Malta, the highest, and Italy, the lowest, in the dataset.
Malta tops EU obesity rankings
BMI compares an individual’s weight in kilograms with the square of their height in meters. A BMI of 30 or higher is classified as obese, while a reading between 25 and below 30 indicates a pre-obese status. The overall overweight category combines these two groups. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight. These thresholds offer a standardized statistical basis to compare adult weight levels across EU nations.
The 2025 figures also highlight that pre-obesity remained more widespread than obesity among adults. Over one-third of adults fell into the pre-obese range, and approximately one in six adults reached the obesity threshold. The combined proportion of overweight individuals exceeded 50% within the EU. Gender disparities are notable, with men exhibiting significantly higher pre-obesity rates, although the difference in obesity prevalence between genders was less pronounced.
EU monitors obesity trends as part of health objectives
This obesity indicator supports the European Union’s efforts to track progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes specifically to monitoring SDG 2, which addresses hunger, food security, and improved nutrition. Additionally, it aligns with SDG 3, which emphasizes health and well-being. Employing consistent BMI categories enables countries within the EU to compare adult weight patterns across different periods and provides a uniform statistical measure for national populations.
The 2025 results reveal that excess weight is among the most prevalent weight categories among EU adults. Obesity alone accounted for 16.3%, with pre-obesity making up another 35.4%. The highest obesity rates were observed in Malta, Latvia, and Finland, whereas Italy, Greece, and Romania reported the lowest figures. Although there is significant variation from country to country, the data confirms that overweight conditions collectively impact the majority of the adult population in the EU.