Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 21.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia stood at 21.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Ethiopia peaked at 21.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 17.8, in 1975.
Ethiopia ranks 188th of 190 countries on this measure, 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 17.8 | — |
| 1976 | 17.9 | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 18 | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 18.1 | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 18.2 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 18.3 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 18.4 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 18.5 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 18.5 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 18.6 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 18.7 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 18.8 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 18.9 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 19.3 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 19.3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 19.5 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 19.7 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 20.1 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 20.4 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 20.6 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 20.8 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 21 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18 | 17.8 | 18.2 | 5 |
| 1980s | 18.68 | 18.3 | 19.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.54 | 19.2 | 19.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.32 | 20 | 20.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.9 | 20.7 | 21.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 185 Japan 21.8 compare
- 186 Burundi 21.6 compare
- 187 Timor-Leste 21.3 compare
- 188 Eritrea 21.1 compare
- 188 Madagascar 21.1 compare
More gender data for Ethiopia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,452 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.69 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 95,403 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 95,403 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.76 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.98 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2.07 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.95 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2.04 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.92 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Ethiopia?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Ethiopia was 21.1 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.8 in 1975.
- How does Ethiopia rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Ethiopia ranks 188th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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'.