Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Congo
Congo: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 24.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Congo, 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 Congo stood at 24.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Congo peaked at 24.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 19.6, in 1975.
That places Congo 149th 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 Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 19.6 | — |
| 1976 | 19.8 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 20.1 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 20.5 | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 20.8 | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 21.3 | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 22.5 | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 23.5 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 23.9 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 24.1 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.15, 96% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 24.1 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.15, 100% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.92 | 19.6 | 20.2 | 5 |
| 1980s | 20.94 | 20.3 | 21.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.07 | 21.6 | 22.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.14 | 22.7 | 23.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.86 | 23.6 | 24.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More gender data for Congo
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 2,740 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.35 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,543 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,543 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.93 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 93,771 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 95,629 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 91,657 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 93,441 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 89,756 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Congo?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Congo was 24.1 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 24.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.6 in 1975.
- How does Congo rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Congo ranks 149th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Congo 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'.