Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Iraq
Iraq: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 29.7 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Iraq, 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 Iraq stood at 29.7. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iraq peaked at 29.7 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 25.1, in 1975.
Iraq ranks 17th of 190 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25.1 | — |
| 1976 | 25.3 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 25.7 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 26 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 26.5 | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 27.5 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 28.2 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 28.3 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 28.4 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 28.6 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 28.7 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 28.9 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 29 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 29.1 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 29.2 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 29.3 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.5 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 29.6 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 29.7 | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.4 | 25.1 | 25.7 | 5 |
| 1980s | 26.39 | 25.8 | 26.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.41 | 27 | 27.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.36 | 27.9 | 28.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.34 | 29 | 29.7 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More gender data for Iraq
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,091 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3028 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 34,846 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 34,846 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.78 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 566,580 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 596,188 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 558,252 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 587,298 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 550,204 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iraq?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Iraq was 29.7 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.1 in 1975.
- How does Iraq rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Iraq ranks 17th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq 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'.