Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Madagascar
Madagascar: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 21.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Madagascar, 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 Madagascar stood at 21.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Madagascar peaked at 21.1 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 18.6, in 1975.
That places Madagascar 188th 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 Madagascar, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 18.6 | — |
| 1976 | 18.7 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 18.8 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 18.9 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 19.2 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 19.3 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 19.5 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 19.7 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 20.2 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 20.3 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 20.4 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 20.5 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 20.6 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 20.7 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 20.7 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 20.8 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 20.8 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 20.9 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 21 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 21 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 21.1 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.8 | 18.6 | 19 | 5 |
| 1980s | 19.45 | 19.1 | 19.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.18 | 19.9 | 20.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.67 | 20.5 | 20.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21 | 20.9 | 21.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
More gender data for Madagascar
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 13,788 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.52 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 22,905 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 22,905 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.66 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 483,299 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 498,396 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 473,008 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 486,670 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 464,238 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Madagascar?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Madagascar was 21.1 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 Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6 in 1975.
- How does Madagascar rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Madagascar ranks 188th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Madagascar 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'.