LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to Eurostat data, 16.3% of European Union adults were affected by obesity in 2025. An additional 35.4% were classified as pre-obese. Collectively, these groups made up 51.7% of individuals aged 18 and above. These numbers indicate that more than half of the EU adult population is dealing with excess weight. Eurostat employs body mass index, or BMI, to compare weight categories across member countries.
Men showed higher rates of both obesity and pre-obesity compared to women. The obesity rate for men was 17.4%, while for women it was 15.3%. Pre-obesity affected 41.9% of men and 29.3% of women. When combined, the overweight rate among men reached 59.3%. For women, the figure was 44.6%. Underweight prevalence was higher among women at 2.9%, versus 1.0% among men.
Results from individual countries revealed a wide variation within the EU. Malta had the highest adult obesity rate at 26.6%. Latvia followed with 24.6%, and Finland reported 23.2%. Italy had the lowest rate at 7.0%. Greece’s rate was 12.8%, and Romania’s was 12.9%. The differences between Malta and Italy are nearly 20 percentage points, marking the highest and lowest rates in the dataset.
Malta Tops EU Obesity Figures
BMI compares a person’s weight in kilograms to the square of their height in metres. A BMI of 30 or higher falls into the obesity category. A BMI from 25 to less than 30 indicates pre-obesity. The broader overweight measure combines both categories. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight. These standards create a uniform basis for comparing adult weights across EU nations.
Data from 2025 also show that pre-obesity remains more common than obesity among adults. Over one-third of adults fall into the pre-obese group. About one in six adults meet the obesity threshold. Together, these groups push the EU’s overweight percentage over 50%. Men display significantly higher pre-obesity levels, though the gender gap in obesity rates is smaller.
EU Uses Obesity Metrics to Support Health Goals
This obesity indicator also helps track progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to SDG 2, which covers hunger, food security, and better nutrition. The measure also relates to SDG 3, focusing on health and well-being. Using standard BMI categories enables countries to compare adult weight trends over time. It offers a consistent statistical measure across EU nations.
In 2025, excess weight ranks among the most common weight issues for EU adults. Obesity alone affected 16.3%, while pre-obesity accounted for 35.4%. Malta, Latvia, and Finland recorded the highest obesity rates in the bloc. Italy, Greece, and Romania reported the lowest. The figures reveal large differences between countries, but they confirm that the majority of adults are either overweight or obese.