Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 29.2 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Saudi Arabia, 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 Saudi Arabia stood at 29.2. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Saudi Arabia peaked at 29.2 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 25.5, in 1975.
Saudi Arabia ranks 22nd of 190 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25.5 | — |
| 1976 | 25.7 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 25.9 | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 26.2 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 26.4 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 26.7 | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 27 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 27.4 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 28.1 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 28.2 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 28.3 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 28.4 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 28.4 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 28.5 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 28.6 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 28.7 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 28.7 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 28.7 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 28.8 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 28.8 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 28.9 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 28.9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 29 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 29 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 29 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 29.1 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.1 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 29.2 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 29.2 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.86 | 25.5 | 26.2 | 5 |
| 1980s | 27.02 | 26.4 | 27.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.09 | 27.7 | 28.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.71 | 28.5 | 28.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.09 | 29 | 29.2 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 20 United Arab Emirates 29.4 compare
- 21 South Africa 29.3 compare
- 22 Barbados 29.2 compare
- 22 Libya 29.2 compare
- 22 Syrian Arab Republic 29.2 compare
More gender data for Saudi Arabia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 8,519 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.7629 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 28,924 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 28,924 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 275,243 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 288,722 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 275,525 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 288,548 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 263,011 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Saudi Arabia?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Saudi Arabia was 29.2 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.2 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.5 in 1975.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 22nd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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'.