Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in South Africa
South Africa: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 29.3 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in South Africa, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 29.3 for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in South Africa peaked at 29.3 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 26.1, in 1975.
That places South Africa 21st out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 26.1 | — |
| 1976 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 26.3 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 26.5 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 26.8 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 27.1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 27.4 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 27.8 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 28.2 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 28.3 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 28.4 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 28.6 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 28.7 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 28.8 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 28.9 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 28.9 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 29 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 29.1 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.2 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 29.3 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 29.3 | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 29.3 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 29.3 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.15, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.26 | 26.1 | 26.4 | 5 |
| 1980s | 26.75 | 26.5 | 27.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.48 | 27.1 | 27.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.35 | 27.9 | 28.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.1 | 28.9 | 29.3 | 7 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 18 Jamaica 29.6 compare
- 18 Palau 29.6 compare
- 20 United Arab Emirates 29.4 compare
- 22 Barbados 29.2 compare
- 22 Libya 29.2 compare
- 22 Saudi Arabia 29.2 compare
- 22 Syrian Arab Republic 29.2 compare
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in South Africa?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in South Africa was 29.3 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 29.3 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.1 in 1975.
- How does South Africa rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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'.