LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to 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 groups accounted for 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and older. These statistics indicate that over half of the adult population in the EU struggles with excess weight. Eurostat employs body mass index, or BMI, as a standardized measure for comparing weight categories across member countries.
In terms of prevalence, men reported higher rates of both obesity and pre-obesity compared to women. The obesity rate was 17.4% among men, versus 15.3% among women. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men and 29.3% of women. When these categories are combined, the overweight percentage among men reaches 59.3%, while for women it stands at 44.6%. Underweight conditions were more common among women, at 2.9%, compared with 1.0% among men.
The results across EU member states reveal significant variation. Malta exhibited the highest obesity rate at 26.6% of adults. Latvia followed with 24.6%, and Finland registered 23.2%. Italy recorded the lowest obesity percentage at 7.0%. Greece reported 12.8%, and Romania was at 12.9%. These figures show nearly a 20 percentage point difference between Malta and Italy, the highest and lowest rates in the dataset.
Malta at the top of EU obesity rankings
BMI compares a person’s weight in kilograms to the square of their height in metres. A BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity, while a BMI between 25 and below 30 classifies an adult as pre-obese. The broader overweight category combines both. A BMI under 18.5 falls within the underweight range. These thresholds offer a standardized statistical basis for comparing adult weight levels across EU nations.
Data from 2025 also reveal that pre-obesity remains more common than obesity among the adult population. Over one-third of adults are in the pre-obese category, with about one in six reaching the obesity threshold. The total of these groups pushes the EU’s overweight population above 50%. Gender differences widen this picture, with men showing significantly higher pre-obesity rates. The gap between male and female obesity rates, however, is smaller.
The EU monitors obesity as part of health objectives
This obesity measure also supports the European efforts to track progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to monitoring SDG 2, which addresses hunger, food security, and improved nutrition. It also relates to SDG 3, focused on health and well-being. Employing common BMI categories enables countries to compare adult weight trends over time and provides a consistent statistical framework across EU member states.
The 2025 findings highlight excess weight as one of the most prevalent weight categories among EU adults. Obesity alone impacted 16.3%, while pre-obesity affected an additional 35.4%. Malta, Latvia, and Finland reported the three highest obesity rates within the bloc. Conversely, Italy, Greece, and Romania recorded the three lowest. While there is notable national variation, the data confirms that overweight categories combined encompass the majority of adults across the European Union.