Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Mali
Mali: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 23.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Mali, 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 Mali stood at 23.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Mali peaked at 23.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 18.4, in 1975.
Mali ranks 170th of 190 countries on this measure, 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 Mali, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 18.4 | — |
| 1976 | 18.5 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 18.6 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 18.7 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 18.9 | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 19.3 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 19.5 | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 20 | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.6 | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 21.1 | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 21.5 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 21.9 | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 22.4 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 22.6 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.62 | 18.4 | 18.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 19.53 | 19 | 20.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.75 | 20.2 | 21.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.05 | 21.5 | 22.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.87 | 22.6 | 23.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More gender data for Mali
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 12,771 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 2 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 16,232 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 16,232 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.42 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 459,934 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 471,024 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 442,703 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 451,382 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 428,668 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Mali?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Mali 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.4 in 1975.
- How does Mali rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Mali ranks 170th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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'.