Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Iceland
Iceland: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 25.5 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Iceland, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iceland is 25.5, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iceland peaked at 25.5 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 23.5, in 1975.
Iceland ranks 118th of 190 countries on this measure, 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 Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 23.5 | — |
| 1976 | 23.5 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 23.6 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 23.7 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 23.8 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 23.9 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 24 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 24.2 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 24.4 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 24.6 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 24.8 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 24.9 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.58 | 23.5 | 23.7 | 5 |
| 1980s | 23.96 | 23.7 | 24.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.6 | 24.3 | 24.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.13 | 24.9 | 25.3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.39 | 25.3 | 25.5 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More gender data for Iceland
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 69.14 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.228 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 345.21 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 345.21 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7736 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 2,155 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2,290 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 2,184 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2,324 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 2,211 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iceland?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iceland was 25.5 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 25.5 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.5 in 1975.
- How does Iceland rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Iceland ranks 118th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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'.