Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Chile
Chile: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 28.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Chile, 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 Chile stood at 28.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Chile peaked at 28.1 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 25.2, in 1975.
Chile ranks 37th of 190 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Chile, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25.2 | — |
| 1976 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 26 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 26.2 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 26.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 26.8 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 27 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 27.2 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 27.4 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 27.7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 28.1 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.4 | 25.2 | 25.6 | 5 |
| 1980s | 25.98 | 25.6 | 26.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.62 | 26.3 | 26.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.27 | 27 | 27.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.9 | 27.7 | 28.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Chile
- 34 Mexico 28.4 compare
- 35 El Salvador 28.3 compare
- 36 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 28.2 compare
- 38 New Zealand 28 compare
- 39 Azerbaijan 27.9 compare
- 39 Costa Rica 27.9 compare
- 39 Ecuador 27.9 compare
- 39 Nicaragua 27.9 compare
- 39 Seychelles 27.9 compare
More gender data for Chile
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 2,924 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -2.5 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 17,310 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 17,310 (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 84,176 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 87,774 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 86,136 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 89,748 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 90,628 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 94,357 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Chile?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Chile was 28.1 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 Chile?
- The highest recorded value was 28.1 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Chile?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.2 in 1975.
- How does Chile rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Chile ranks 37th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Chile?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Chile 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'.