Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Senegal
Senegal: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 24 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Senegal, 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 Senegal stood at 24. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Senegal peaked at 24 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 20.5, in 1975.
That places Senegal 153rd out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it 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 Senegal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.5 | — |
| 1976 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21.3 | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 21.8 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 22.9 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 23.5 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 23.6 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 23.7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.8 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 23.9 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 24 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.7 | 20.5 | 20.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.51 | 21 | 21.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.45 | 22 | 22.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.31 | 22.9 | 23.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.83 | 23.7 | 24 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
- 153 Guinea-Bissau 24 compare
- 153 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 24 compare
- 156 Nigeria 23.9 compare
- 156 Somalia 23.9 compare
More gender data for Senegal
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,600 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.35 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 13,563 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 13,563 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 263,002 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 269,605 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 257,895 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 263,988 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 250,294 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Senegal?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Senegal was 24 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 24 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.5 in 1975.
- How does Senegal rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Senegal ranks 153rd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Senegal 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'.