Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 25.6 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Sao Tome and Principe, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 25.6 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 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 25.6 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 20.8, in 1975.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 114th of 190 countries on this measure, 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 Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.8 | — |
| 1976 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 21.2 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 21.8 | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 22.2 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 22.6 | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 23 | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 23.4 | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 23.8 | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 24.2 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 24.6 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 25.6 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.15, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 25.6 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.15, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.04 | 20.8 | 21.3 | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.97 | 21.4 | 22.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.3 | 22.7 | 23.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.6 | 24 | 25.1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.39 | 25.2 | 25.6 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More gender data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 94.27 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.9834 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 170.29 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 170.29 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.43 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 3,245 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 3,330 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 3,189 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 3,272 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 3,129 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Sao Tome and Principe was 25.6 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 Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 25.6 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.8 in 1975.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 114th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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'.