The problem of obesity in Uzbekistan has reached serious scales in the healthcare sector. According to the Sanitary and Epidemiological Committee, more than half of the country's adult population is overweight, and approximately one in five people aged 18 to 64 suffers from clinical obesity. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) in Uzbekistan is 26.5 kg/m², which is the highest indicator in Central Asia.
According to data published by the international portal OurWorldinData, based on modeled estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2024, adults with overweight or obesity are defined as individuals with a BMI above 25. BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Globally, 45% of adults were overweight in 2024.
Among the 199 studied countries, island nations and colonies were the anti-leaders, where the proportion of the adult population with overweight or obesity reaches 90–91%. In some economically developed countries, this figure significantly exceeds the global average: it is 71% in the USA, 70% in the UAE, and 62% in the UK.
WHO data indicates that the lowest proportion of adults with overweight or obesity is most often observed in low-income African countries, although there are exceptions. For example, in Japan, this figure was only 24% in 2024. This result is attributed to the peculiarities of Japanese mentality, dietary culture, and sports, rather than the popularity of fast food, as in other developed nations. In Japan, the 'Hara hachi bu' rule is practiced, which means 'Eat until you are 80% full.'
In Central Asia, Uzbekistan became the country with the highest proportion of the adult population with overweight (64%), ranking 59th in the world. Other countries in the region showed the following results: Turkmenistan (58%, 88th place), Tajikistan (58%, 89th place), Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan (56% each, 96th, 98th, and 103rd places, respectively). Belarus demonstrated 55% and ranked 107th.
Over the past 44 years, the situation with obesity in Central Asia has worsened. An analysis of data from 1980 to 2024 shows a steady increase in the proportion of adults with a BMI above 25, which has increased by 19–36 percentage points. This trend is consistent across all five countries in the region, with an acceleration in the period 2010–2020s. The most significant growth during this period was recorded in Uzbekistan: the indicator rose from 28% to 64%, making the country an anti-leader in the region regarding the prevalence of this problem. A similar high growth rate was noted in Turkmenistan (from 30% to 58%) and Tajikistan (from 27% to 58%). This trend is driven by common regional factors such as changes in eating habits, reduced physical activity, and increasing urbanization.
Experts identify several key reasons for the development of excess weight in the population. These include high salt consumption: the average daily intake reaches 14.9 grams, which is almost three times the WHO permissible limit of 5 grams. The problem is also related to diet: one-third of the population does not receive enough vegetables and fruits, while about 46% of citizens have elevated cholesterol levels in their blood. The third factor is a sedentary lifestyle combined with the consumption of high-calorie food.
The situation also affects other population groups. According to the World Obesity Atlas report, about 3 million Uzbek children and adolescents face overweight or obesity. Among non-pregnant women aged 15–49, over 40% are overweight or obese.
Excess weight leads to a sharp increase in the number of people suffering from hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Experts warn that if the current trend continues, the economic damage to Uzbekistan from obesity and overweight in the population could amount to $21.6 billion by 2060, equivalent to approximately 4.7% of GDP.
According to preliminary results of the population and agricultural census, the number of residents of Uzbekistan as of January 15, 2026, reached 39,047,321 people. This information was announced on June 30 by Bekhzod Khamrayev, Chairman of the National Committee for Statistics.
The figures obtained were higher than previously assumed in current statistical calculations, which showed 38.24 million people. Thus, the increase amounted to 810.6 thousand people, corresponding to an increase of 2.1%.
According to Bekhzod Khamrayev's statements, there are 19.8 million men living, which accounts for 50.6% of the total population, while there are 19.3 million women, or 49.4%. A significant part of the citizens lives in cities: 21.3 million people, or 54.5%, live in urban areas, and 17.8 million people (45.5%) live in rural areas.
The Chairman of the National Committee for Statistics also presented data on the age composition. He noted that the number of people who have not reached working age was 12.5 million. The population in working age reached 21.7 million people, which exceeds the figures calculated by statistical services by 400 thousand people.
