Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Namibia
Namibia: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 25.3 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Namibia, 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 Namibia stood at 25.3. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Namibia peaked at 25.3 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 21.8, in 1975.
That places Namibia 123rd out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 21.8 | — |
| 1976 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 22.4 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 23.7 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 24.9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22 | 21.8 | 22.2 | 5 |
| 1980s | 22.66 | 22.3 | 23 | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.52 | 23.1 | 23.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.45 | 24 | 24.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.14 | 24.9 | 25.3 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More gender data for Namibia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,172 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3037 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 38,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 38,517 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 37,694 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 37,867 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 38,396 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 38,539 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 41,370 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 41,570 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Namibia?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Namibia was 25.3 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.8 in 1975.
- How does Namibia rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Namibia ranks 123rd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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'.