Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Nauru
Nauru: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 32.7 in 2016. ▬ Flat
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Nauru, 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 Nauru stood at 32.7. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Nauru peaked at 34.1 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 32.7, in 2016.
Nauru ranks 5th of 190 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Nauru, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 33.7 | — |
| 1976 | 33.7 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 33.7 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 33.8 | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 33.8 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 33.9 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 33.9 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 33.9 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 34 | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 34 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 34 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 34 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 34.1 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 34.1 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 34 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 34 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 34 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 33.9 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 33.9 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 33.8 | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 33.8 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 33.7 | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 33.7 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 33.6 | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 33.5 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 33.5 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 33.4 | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 33.3 | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 33.2 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 33.2 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 33.1 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 33 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 33 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 32.9 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 32.8 | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 32.7 | -0.3% |
Nauru compared with similar countries
- Nauru's 32.7 is above the median for high income countries, which is 26.4, 1.2× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Nauru's 32.7 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 26.35, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.74 | 33.7 | 33.8 | 5 |
| 1980s | 34 | 33.9 | 34.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.03 | 33.9 | 34.1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.55 | 33.2 | 33.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.96 | 32.7 | 33.2 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Nauru
More gender data for Nauru
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 137 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 146 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 139 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 148 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 143 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 152 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 147 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 156 (2025)
- Age population, age 04, female, interpolated 149 (2025)
- Age population, age 04, male, interpolated 148 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Nauru?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Nauru was 32.7 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 Nauru?
- The highest recorded value was 34.1 in 1987.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Nauru?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.7 in 2016.
- How does Nauru rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Nauru ranks 5th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Nauru?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Nauru 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'.