Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Canada
Canada: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 26.6 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Canada, 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 Canada stood at 26.6. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Canada peaked at 26.6 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 23.6, in 1975.
That places Canada 77th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it 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 Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 23.6 | — |
| 1976 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 23.8 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 24.1 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 25.9 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26.1 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26.2 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 26.3 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 26.4 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.76 | 23.6 | 23.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24.37 | 24 | 24.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.35 | 24.9 | 25.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.14 | 25.9 | 26.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.5 | 26.4 | 26.6 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More gender data for Canada
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 5,985 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.1285 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 35,670 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 35,670 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.8111 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 179,464 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 188,972 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 181,929 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 191,273 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 183,113 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Canada?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Canada was 26.6 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.6 in 1975.
- How does Canada rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Canada ranks 77th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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'.