LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to the latest Eurostat data, 16.3% of European Union adults were affected by obesity in 2025. An additional 35.4% of adults were classified as pre-obese. Combined, these two groups made up 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and over, indicating that more than half of the EU adult population had a body mass index categorized as overweight.
The statistics also revealed notable differences between men and women across the EU. 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. Additionally, women had a higher underweight rate at 2.9%, whereas the corresponding figure for men was 1.0%.
Eurostat highlighted significant variation in obesity prevalence among EU member states. Malta led with the highest proportion, where 26.6% of adults were classified as obese in 2025. Latvia followed at 24.6%, and Finland ranked third at 23.2%. Conversely, Italy recorded the lowest obesity rate at 7.0%, with Greece at 12.8% and Romania close behind at 12.9%.
Malta reports the highest obesity rate within the EU
BMI, or body mass index, is used to assess weight in relation to height, measured in kilograms against 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 indicates underweight.
Data broken down by gender shows that excess weight was more prevalent among men than women in 2025. When combining obesity and pre-obesity, the rates were 59.3% for men and 44.6% for women. The difference was less pronounced when considering obesity alone. These figures encompass adults aged 18 and older and provide a standardized metric for comparing weight categories across the EU member states.
Obesity figures support health monitoring efforts across the EU
The obesity prevalence rate also plays a role in European monitoring aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to indicators linked to SDG 2, which aims for zero hunger and better nutrition. Additionally, it aids in tracking progress toward SDG 3, focused on health and well-being. These indicators enable authorities to assess nutrition and health status using comparable data across participating countries.
The 2025 data place obesity alongside pre-obesity as key factors in excess weight among EU populations. About one in six adults was affected by obesity alone, while pre-obesity impacted over one-third. Variations among countries ranged from 7.0% in Italy to 26.6% in Malta. Overall, the latest figures highlight considerable disparities between member states while reaffirming that the combined overweight categories encompass a majority of EU adults.