Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 24.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Afghanistan, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2016, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Afghanistan stood at 24.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Afghanistan peaked at 24.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 18.9, in 1975.
Afghanistan ranks 149th of 190 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 18.9 | — |
| 1976 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 19.3 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 19.6 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 20 | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 20.5 | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 21 | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 21.5 | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 22 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 22.4 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 22.9 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 23.4 | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 23.9 | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.14 | 18.9 | 19.4 | 5 |
| 1980s | 20.15 | 19.6 | 20.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.4 | 20.8 | 22 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.67 | 22.1 | 23.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.74 | 23.4 | 24.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More gender data for Afghanistan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 20,358 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.64 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 29,681 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 29,681 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.43 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 707,563 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 739,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 690,872 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 720,642 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 674,248 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Afghanistan?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Afghanistan was 24.1 in 2016, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 24.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.9 in 1975.
- How does Afghanistan rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Afghanistan ranks 149th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Mean body mass index (BMI) in women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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'.