Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Botswana
Botswana: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 26.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Botswana, 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 Botswana stood at 26.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Botswana peaked at 26.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 22, in 1975.
Botswana ranks 99th of 190 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 22 | — |
| 1976 | 22.2 | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 22.6 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 23.1 | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 23.4 | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 23.6 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 23.9 | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 24.1 | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 24.3 | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 24.6 | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.1 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 25.7 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 25.8 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 25.9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 25.9 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 26 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 26 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.3 | 22 | 22.6 | 5 |
| 1980s | 23.34 | 22.7 | 24.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.84 | 24.3 | 25.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.65 | 25.4 | 25.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.99 | 25.9 | 26.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More gender data for Botswana
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 855.49 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6449 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 29,466 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 30,240 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 29,267 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 30,023 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 29,174 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 29,925 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 30,402 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 30,984 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Botswana?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Botswana was 26.1 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 26.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 22 in 1975.
- How does Botswana rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Botswana ranks 99th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana 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'.