Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Peru
Peru: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 27.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Peru, 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 Peru stood at 27.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Peru peaked at 27.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 23.5, in 1975.
That places Peru 60th 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 Peru, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 23.5 | — |
| 1976 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 24.5 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 25 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 25.8 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26.1 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.7 | 23.5 | 23.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24.41 | 24 | 24.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.25 | 24.9 | 25.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.03 | 25.7 | 26.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.8 | 26.5 | 27.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Peru
- 58 Brunei Darussalam 27.2 compare
- 58 Kyrgyzstan 27.2 compare
- 60 Tunisia 27.1 compare
- 62 Armenia 27 compare
- 62 Iran, Islamic Republic of 27 compare
- 62 Ireland 27 compare
- 62 Lesotho 27 compare
- 62 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 27 compare
More gender data for Peru
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,988 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.3909 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 261,493 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 271,554 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 262,030 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 271,974 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 262,425 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 272,367 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 263,360 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 273,303 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Peru?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Peru was 27.1 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 Peru?
- The highest recorded value was 27.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Peru?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.5 in 1975.
- How does Peru rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Peru ranks 60th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Peru?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Peru 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'.