LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to data from Eurostat, 16.3% of European Union adults were classified as obese in 2025, with an additional 35.4% falling into the pre-obese range. These groups together constituted 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and older, indicating that more than half of the EU adult population is affected by excess weight. Eurostat relies on body mass index, or BMI, as a standard measurement to assess and compare weight categories across participating nations.
The data reveal that men exhibited higher prevalence rates for both obesity and pre-obesity compared to women, with 17.4% of men classified as obese against 15.3% of women. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men and 29.3% of women, and when combining these two categories, the overweight rate among men reached 59.3%, while for women it was 44.6%. Underweight conditions were more prevalent among women, at 2.9%, compared to 1.0% among men.
Country-specific figures demonstrate considerable variation within the EU, with Malta recording the highest obesity rate at 26.6% of adults. Latvia followed with 24.6%, and Finland reported 23.2%. Conversely, Italy’s obesity rate was the lowest at 7.0%, while Greece and Romania registered 12.8% and 12.9% respectively. The disparity between Malta and Italy’s rates approaches 20 percentage points, marking the widest gap in the dataset.
Malta Tops EU Obesity Charts
Body mass index (BMI) compares an individual’s weight in kilograms to the square of their height in metres, with a BMI of 30 or above indicating obesity. A BMI between 25 and below 30 classifies an adult as pre-obese, and the overall overweight category encompasses both. Conversely, a BMI below 18.5 indicates an underweight status. These thresholds serve as a standardized statistical method for comparing adult weight levels across EU countries.
The 2025 figures also highlight that pre-obesity remains more common than obesity among adults, with over one-third falling into the pre-obese group and approximately one in six meeting the obesity criteria. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity exceeds 50% within the EU. Notably, the gender difference is prominent, as men exhibit significantly higher pre-obesity rates, although the gap in obesity prevalence between genders is comparatively narrower.
EU Uses Obesity Data to Support Health and Development Goals
This obesity indicator also plays a role in the European Union’s monitoring efforts related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2, which addresses issues of hunger, food security, and improved nutrition. It additionally contributes to tracking SDG 3, focused on health and well-being. Employing a common BMI framework allows countries to compare adult weight trends over time and maintain a consistent statistical approach across national populations within the EU.
The 2025 data reveal that excess weight remains among the most prevalent weight categories across EU adults, with obesity alone affecting 16.3% and pre-obesity accounting for 35.4%. Malta, Latvia, and Finland reported the highest rates of obesity in the bloc, whereas Italy, Greece, and Romania showed the lowest. The figures underscore significant national variation but reinforce the fact that overweight groups collectively comprise a majority of adults in the EU.