Turkey obesity rate 21.8% in 2025

Turkey’s official statistics agency said obesity rose and physical inactivity remained widespread in the country in 2025, according to results published this week. The Turkish Statistical Institute, known as TurkStat or TÜİK, said 21.8% of people aged 15 and over were obese in its 2025 Turkey Health Survey, up from 20.2% in 2022. The same release showed 86.6% of the population reported no physical activity outside work and daily activities. The figures were published by TÜİK on June 2 and then picked up by Turkish news outlets. ### Where does the 21.8% figure come from? TÜİK published the “Türkiye Health Survey, 2025” on June 2, listing the obesity rate at 21.8% for people aged 15 and over. The agency’s English-language data portal shows the previous comparable figure was 20.2% in 2022, after 21.1% in 2019. The 2025 survey results, as reported by outlets citing the TÜİK release, said obesity was higher among women than men. (tuik.gov.tr) Women were reported at 24.8% obese and 32.2% overweight, while men were reported at 18.7% obese and 43.1% overweight. ### What did the survey say about exercise? The June 2 TÜİK findings said 86.6% of the population did not do physical activity outside work and daily routines. (tuik.gov.tr) Hürriyet Daily News, citing the TÜİK release, reported that the share of physically inactive men improved to 83.5% from 85.3% in 2022, while the figure for women improved to 89.7% from 92.7%. (en.haberler.com) The same report said only 4.1% of men and 2.7% of women reported exercising between 150 and 300 minutes a week in 2025. The World Health Organization says adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, and up to 300 minutes of moderate activity for additional health benefits. (hurriyetdailynews.com) ### Is this a change from earlier Turkish data? TÜİK’s 2022 health survey put the obesity rate at 20.2%, down from 21.1% in 2019. The new 2025 figure of 21.8% means the rate moved above both of those earlier readings in the official survey series. The 2022 release also showed obesity was already more common among women than men, at 23.6% versus 16.8%. (hurriyetdailynews.com) That pattern remained in the 2025 results cited by Turkish media after the latest release. ### What else was in the 2025 health release? Hürriyet Daily News reported that lower back problems were the most common health complaint among people aged 15 and over at 24.3%, followed by hypertension at 16.9%, neck disorders at 16.7%, diabetes at 11.9% and elevated blood lipid levels at 10.1%, citing the TÜİK findings. (data.tuik.gov.tr) The same report said Turkey’s Health Ministry is running a nationwide screening campaign. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said teams had measured more than 10 million people in all 81 provinces, and that nearly 70% were above their normal weight range, including about 25% classified as obese. (hurriyetdailynews.com) ### What should readers watch next? June 2 is the key publication date for the current figures, because that is when TÜİK released the 2025 Turkey Health Survey. The next comparable update will be on TÜİK’s data portal, where the agency posts future health survey releases and historical series for 2019, 2022 and 2025. (tuik.gov.tr) (hurriyetdailynews.com)