Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in South Korea
South Korea: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 23.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in South Korea, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 23.1 for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in South Korea peaked at 23.1 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 20.4, in 1975.
That places South Korea 170th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it 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 South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.4 | — |
| 1976 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 20.8 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 21.1 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 21.6 | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 22.2 | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 22.4 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 22.7 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 22.8 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 22.8 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 22.8 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 22.9 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 22.9 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 22.9 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 22.9 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 23.1 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 23.1 | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 23.1 is below the median for high income countries, which is 26.4, 88% of the median. (61 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 23.1 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 26.35, 88% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.64 | 20.4 | 20.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.62 | 21.1 | 22.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.6 | 22.3 | 22.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.93 | 22.8 | 23 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.04 | 23 | 23.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More gender data for South Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,318 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.79 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 46,871 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 46,871 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0957 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 119,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 125,732 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 116,471 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 122,813 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 119,098 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in South Korea?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in South Korea was 23.1 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1 in 2014.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.4 in 1975.
- How does South Korea rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- South Korea ranks 170th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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'.