Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Spain
Spain: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 24.8 in 2016. ▬ Flat
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Spain, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Spain recorded 24.8 for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Spain peaked at 25.6 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 24.8, in 2016.
Spain ranks 133rd of 190 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25.1 | — |
| 1976 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 25.6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 25.5 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 25.4 | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 25.4 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 25.3 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 25.2 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 25.1 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 25 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 24.9 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 24.9 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 24.8 | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.2 | 25.1 | 25.3 | 5 |
| 1980s | 25.43 | 25.3 | 25.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.6 | 25.6 | 25.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.51 | 25.3 | 25.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.03 | 24.8 | 25.3 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More gender data for Spain
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 5,413 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -2.09 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 42,197 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 42,197 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0961 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 161,756 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 171,794 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 164,221 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 174,083 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 166,341 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Spain?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Spain was 24.8 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 25.6 in 1990.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.8 in 2016.
- How does Spain rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Spain ranks 133rd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Spain 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'.