Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Belgium
Belgium: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 25.6 in 2016. ▬ Flat
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Belgium, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Belgium is 25.6, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Belgium peaked at 25.6 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 25, in 1981.
That places Belgium 114th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25.2 | — |
| 1976 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 25.1 | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 25 | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.16 | 25.1 | 25.2 | 5 |
| 1980s | 25.01 | 25 | 25.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.03 | 25 | 25.1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.27 | 25.1 | 25.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.53 | 25.4 | 25.6 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More gender data for Belgium
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,701 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.52 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 10,123 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 10,123 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.3629 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 49,723 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 52,153 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 50,100 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 52,519 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 53,460 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Belgium?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Belgium was 25.6 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 25.6 in 2014.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 25 in 1981.
- How does Belgium rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Belgium ranks 114th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Belgium 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'.