Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Malta
Malta: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 26.3 in 2016. ▬ Flat
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Malta, 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 Malta stood at 26.3. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Malta peaked at 26.7 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 26.3, in 2016.
Malta ranks 90th of 190 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Malta, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 26.6 | — |
| 1976 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 26.5 | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 26.6 | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 26.5 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26.4 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 26.4 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 26.3 | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.56 | 26.5 | 26.6 | 5 |
| 1980s | 26.5 | 26.5 | 26.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.57 | 26.5 | 26.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.67 | 26.6 | 26.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.46 | 26.3 | 26.6 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More gender data for Malta
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 67.52 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.24 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 487.71 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 487.71 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.4066 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 2,056 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2,200 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 2,070 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2,220 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 2,099 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Malta?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Malta was 26.3 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7 in 2000.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.3 in 2016.
- How does Malta rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Malta ranks 90th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malta 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'.