Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Cameroon
Cameroon: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 25.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Cameroon, 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 Cameroon stood at 25.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Cameroon peaked at 25.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 20, in 1975.
Cameroon ranks 127th 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 Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20 | — |
| 1976 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 20.3 | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 20.5 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 20.8 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21.1 | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 21.4 | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 21.7 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 22.1 | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 22.5 | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 23 | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 23.4 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 23.8 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.3 | 20 | 20.6 | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.44 | 20.8 | 22.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.78 | 22.2 | 23.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.03 | 23.5 | 24.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.87 | 24.6 | 25.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 126 Ghana 25.2 compare
- 127 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25.1 compare
- 127 Liberia 25.1 compare
- 127 Netherlands 25.1 compare
- 127 Portugal 25.1 compare
More gender data for Cameroon
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 13,337 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.53 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 20,440 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 20,440 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.01 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 465,137 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 475,018 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 453,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 461,925 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 443,236 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Cameroon?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Cameroon was 25.1 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 Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 20 in 1975.
- How does Cameroon rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Cameroon ranks 127th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon 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'.