People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium
Belgium: People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age was 26.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
26.5%
Change on year
up 16.7%
World rank
25th
of 38 countries
All-time high
26.5%
in 2025
All-time low
20.5%
in 2021
Years of data
17
2009–2025
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium, 2009–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium is 26.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
That represents a change of up 16.7% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium peaked at 26.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 20.5%, in 2021.
Belgium ranks 25th of 38 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 20.7% | — |
| 2010 | 22.2% | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 21.1% | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 21.3% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 21.1% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 24.0% | +13.7% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 22.5% | -9.6% |
| 2017 | 23.6% | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 20.7% | -12.3% |
| 2019 | 23.8% | +15.0% |
| 2020 | 22.8% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 20.5% | -10.1% |
| 2022 | 23.0% | +12.2% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 22.7% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 26.5% | +16.7% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 26.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 28.0%, 95% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 26.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 28.0%, 95% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.7% | 20.7% | 20.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 22.5% | 20.7% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.1% | 20.5% | 26.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 23 European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) 26.8% compare
- 24 Euro area (EA11-1999, EA12-2001, EA13-2007, EA15-2008, EA16-2009, EA17-2011, EA18-2014, EA19-2015, EA20-2023, EA21-2026) 26.6% compare
- 26 Hungary 26.3% compare
- 27 Germany 25.6% compare
- 28 Latvia 24.7% compare
- 28 Latvia 24.7% compare
More population data for Belgium
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.1094 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0945 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 12,091 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2011 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0085 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 365.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 461,216 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium?
- People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Belgium was 26.5% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 26.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.5% in 2021.
- How does Belgium rank for people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age?
- Belgium ranks 25th out of 38 countries with data for 2025.
- Is people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age and groups of country of birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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