Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 22.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Burkina Faso, 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 Burkina Faso stood at 22.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Burkina Faso peaked at 22.1 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 18.6, in 1975.
That places Burkina Faso 180th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it 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 Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 18.6 | — |
| 1976 | 18.7 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 18.8 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 18.8 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 18.9 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 19.3 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 19.6 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 19.8 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 20.3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 21.3 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 21.7 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 21.9 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 22.1 | +0.0% |
Burkina Faso compared with similar countries
- Burkina Faso's 22.1 is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.3, 95% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Burkina Faso's 22.1 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.15, 92% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.76 | 18.6 | 18.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 19.48 | 19 | 19.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.39 | 20 | 20.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.3 | 20.9 | 21.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.93 | 21.7 | 22.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
More gender data for Burkina Faso
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 10,122 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3191 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 16,608 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 16,608 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 348,221 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 359,281 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 339,937 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 349,490 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 332,922 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Burkina Faso?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Burkina Faso was 22.1 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 Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 22.1 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6 in 1975.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Burkina Faso ranks 180th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Burkina Faso 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'.