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% fell into the pre-obese category, making a total of 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and over with a body mass index considered overweight. These statistics indicate that over half of the adult population in the EU had an elevated body mass index.
The data also reveals notable differences between genders across the EU. 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. A higher proportion of women were found to be underweight at 2.9%, whereas among men, this figure was 1.0%.
Eurostat highlighted significant disparities in obesity levels among EU member states. Malta recorded the highest proportion of obese adults at 26.6% in 2025. Latvia followed with 24.6%, and Finland was third at 23.2%. Conversely, Italy reported the lowest rate at 7.0%, with Greece at 12.8% and Romania at 12.9%.
Malta tops EU with the highest obesity prevalence
Body mass index, or BMI, calculates weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Eurostat classifies adults with a BMI of 30 or above as obese, while those with a BMI from 25 to less than 30 are considered pre-obese. The broader overweight category includes both obese and pre-obese individuals, and a BMI under 18.5 is categorized as underweight.
Gender-specific data show that excess weight was more common among men than women in 2025. When combining obesity and pre-obesity figures, 59.3% of men and 44.6% of women are affected. The difference in obesity rates alone between sexes was less pronounced. These statistics, covering individuals aged 18 and older, provide a standardized method for comparing weight classifications across EU nations.
Obesity data underpins EU health surveillance efforts
The prevalence of obesity is also integrated into European tracking aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It plays a role in indicators related to SDG 2, which promotes zero hunger and better nutrition, as well as SDG 3, focused on health and well-being. These metrics enable governments to monitor nutritional and health trends consistently across participating countries.
The 2025 data positions obesity alongside pre-obesity as a primary factor of excess weight across the EU. About one in six adults suffered from obesity, while over one-third were pre-obese. Obesity rates ranged from 7.0% in Italy to 26.6% in Malta. The findings underline the wide variation among member states but also confirm that the combined categories of overweight and obesity encompass the majority of the adult population in the EU.