Which has higher mean body mass index (bmi) in women, South Africa or United Arab Emirates?

United Arab Emirates, at 29.4 against 29.3 in South Africa as of 2016.

What is the difference in mean body mass index (bmi) in women between South Africa and United Arab Emirates?

0.1, with United Arab Emirates ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Arab Emirates?

42 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2016.

Where does this data come from?

World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Mean body mass index (BMI) in women. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women

South Africa

29.3

in 2016

United Arab Emirates

29.4

in 2016

South Africa rank

21st

United Arab Emirates rank

20th

Mean body mass index (BMI) in women over time

South Africa
United Arab Emirates

How they compare

United Arab Emirates currently reports 29.4 against 29.3 in South Africa, a difference of 0.1.

Across all 42 years both countries report, United Arab Emirates has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 21st and United Arab Emirates ranks 20th of 190 countries.

United Arab Emirates has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	South Africa	United Arab Emirates	Difference	Ahead
1970s	26.26	26.96	0.7	United Arab Emirates
1980s	26.75	27.44	0.69	United Arab Emirates
1990s	27.48	28.02	0.54	United Arab Emirates
2000s	28.35	28.67	0.32	United Arab Emirates
2010s	29.1	29.19	0.0857	United Arab Emirates

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher mean body mass index (bmi) in women, South Africa or United Arab Emirates?: United Arab Emirates, at 29.4 against 29.3 in South Africa as of 2016.
What is the difference in mean body mass index (bmi) in women between South Africa and United Arab Emirates?: 0.1, with United Arab Emirates ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Arab Emirates?: 42 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2016.
How do South Africa and United Arab Emirates rank globally for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?: South Africa ranks 21st and United Arab Emirates ranks 20th of 190 countries.
Where does this data come from?: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Mean body mass index (BMI) in women. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/compare/mean-body-mass-index-bmi-in-adult-women/south-africa/united-arab-emirates/

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<a href="https://gender.statizoid.com/compare/mean-body-mass-index-bmi-in-adult-women/south-africa/united-arab-emirates/">South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 190 places, 7,980 data points, 1975–2016
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Body mass index (BMI) is measured as a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by her height (in meters), squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as 'underweight'; 18.5 to <25 as 'normal/healthy'; 25.0 to <30 as 'overweight'; and >30.0 as 'obese'.