Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 23.5 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Sierra Leone, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 23.5 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 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Sierra Leone peaked at 23.5 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 20.3, in 1975.
Sierra Leone ranks 163rd 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 Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.3 | — |
| 1976 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 21.9 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 22.4 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 23.2 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 23.3 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 23.3 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.4 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 23.4 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 23.5 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.5 | 20.3 | 20.7 | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.25 | 20.8 | 21.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.15 | 21.8 | 22.5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.98 | 22.6 | 23.3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.4 | 23.3 | 23.5 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 163 China 23.5 compare
- 163 Philippines 23.5 compare
- 166 Guinea 23.4 compare
- 166 Mozambique 23.4 compare
More gender data for Sierra Leone
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 3,446 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.722 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 6,249 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 6,249 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 122,158 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 124,999 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 118,334 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 120,652 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 116,120 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Sierra Leone?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Sierra Leone was 23.5 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3 in 1975.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Sierra Leone ranks 163rd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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'.