Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Rwanda
Rwanda: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 22.8 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Rwanda, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 22.8 for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in 2016. 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 Rwanda peaked at 22.8 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 18.8, in 1975.
Rwanda ranks 175th 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 18.8 | — |
| 1976 | 18.9 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 19.3 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 19.5 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 21.5 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 21.8 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 22.4 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19 | 18.8 | 19.2 | 5 |
| 1980s | 19.75 | 19.3 | 20.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.75 | 20.3 | 21.2 | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.79 | 21.3 | 22.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.53 | 22.3 | 22.8 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More gender data for Rwanda
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 5,716 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.9861 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 10,439 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 10,439 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.5 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 194,446 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 198,438 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 191,100 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 194,971 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 188,797 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Rwanda?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Rwanda was 22.8 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 22.8 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8 in 1975.
- How does Rwanda rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Rwanda ranks 175th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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'.