Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Malawi
Malawi: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 23.2 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Malawi, 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 Malawi is 23.2, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Malawi peaked at 23.2 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 19.4, in 1975.
That places Malawi 169th 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 Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 19.4 | — |
| 1976 | 19.5 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 20.3 | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 22.1 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 22.5 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 22.8 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 23.1 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.6 | 19.4 | 19.8 | 5 |
| 1980s | 20.42 | 19.9 | 20.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.45 | 21 | 21.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.34 | 22 | 22.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.99 | 22.8 | 23.2 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 166 Guinea 23.4 compare
- 166 Mozambique 23.4 compare
- 168 Uganda 23.3 compare
- 170 Lao People's Democratic Republic 23.1 compare
- 170 Mali 23.1 compare
- 170 Republic of Korea 23.1 compare
More gender data for Malawi
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,494 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.4 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,667 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,667 (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 330,369 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 332,767 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 322,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 324,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 316,113 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 318,049 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Malawi?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Malawi was 23.2 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 23.2 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.4 in 1975.
- How does Malawi rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Malawi ranks 169th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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'.