Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Libya
Libya: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 29.2 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Libya, 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 Libya is 29.2, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Libya peaked at 29.2 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 25, in 1975.
That places Libya 22nd out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25 | — |
| 1976 | 25.3 | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 25.5 | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 25.7 | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 25.9 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 26.1 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 26.4 | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 26.7 | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 27.5 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 27.8 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 28.2 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 28.2 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 28.3 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 28.4 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 28.4 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 28.6 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 28.6 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 28.7 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 28.8 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 28.8 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 28.9 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 29 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.1 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 29.1 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 29.2 | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.48 | 25 | 25.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 26.69 | 26.1 | 27.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.65 | 27.3 | 28 | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.4 | 28.1 | 28.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.99 | 28.8 | 29.2 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 20 United Arab Emirates 29.4 compare
- 21 South Africa 29.3 compare
- 22 Barbados 29.2 compare
- 22 Saudi Arabia 29.2 compare
- 22 Syrian Arab Republic 29.2 compare
More gender data for Libya
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,888 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.23 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 58,243 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 61,596 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 59,014 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 62,364 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 60,166 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 63,519 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 61,477 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 64,892 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Libya?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Libya was 29.2 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 Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 29.2 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 25 in 1975.
- How does Libya rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Libya ranks 22nd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya 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'.