Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Germany
Germany: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 25.8 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Germany, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Germany recorded 25.8 for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Germany peaked at 25.8 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 24.2, in 1975.
That places Germany 111th 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 24.2 | — |
| 1976 | 24.2 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.4 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 24.4 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 24.5 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 24.6 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 24.7 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 24.8 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 24.9 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 25.7 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 25.7 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 25.8 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 25.8 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.26 | 24.2 | 24.3 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24.4 | 24.3 | 24.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.86 | 24.6 | 25.1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.39 | 25.2 | 25.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.73 | 25.6 | 25.8 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More gender data for Germany
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 11,292 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9917 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 71,489 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 71,489 (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 344,036 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 363,213 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 348,332 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 367,516 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 355,306 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 374,750 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Germany?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Germany was 25.8 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 25.8 in 2014.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.2 in 1975.
- How does Germany rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Germany ranks 111th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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'.