Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Ireland
Ireland: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 27 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Ireland, 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 Ireland is 27, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Ireland peaked at 27 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 23, in 1975.
Ireland ranks 62nd 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 Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 23 | — |
| 1976 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.1 | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 24.8 | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.3 | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26.2 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 26.9 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 27 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.2 | 23 | 23.4 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24 | 23.5 | 24.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.19 | 24.6 | 25.7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.26 | 25.8 | 26.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.86 | 26.7 | 27 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More gender data for Ireland
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 899.27 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9809 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,626 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,626 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 26,039 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 27,455 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 26,494 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 27,919 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 26,943 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Ireland?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Ireland was 27 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 27 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23 in 1975.
- How does Ireland rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Ireland ranks 62nd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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'.