Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Tonga
Tonga: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 33.7 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Tonga, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Tonga is 33.7, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Tonga peaked at 33.7 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 28.7, in 1975.
That places Tonga 2nd out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Tonga, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 28.7 | — |
| 1976 | 28.9 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 29.1 | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 29.3 | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 29.4 | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 29.6 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 29.8 | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 29.9 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 30.1 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 30.3 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 30.5 | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 30.6 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 30.8 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 30.9 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 31.1 | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 31.2 | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 31.4 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 31.5 | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 31.7 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 31.8 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 31.9 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 32 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 32.1 | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 32.3 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 32.4 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 32.5 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 32.6 | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 32.7 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 32.8 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 32.8 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 32.9 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 33 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 33.1 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 33.1 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 33.2 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 33.3 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 33.4 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 33.4 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 33.5 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 33.6 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 33.7 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 33.7 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.08 | 28.7 | 29.4 | 5 |
| 1980s | 30.36 | 29.6 | 31.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.83 | 31.2 | 32.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.87 | 32.5 | 33.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.51 | 33.3 | 33.7 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
More gender data for Tonga
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 32.72 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -2.04 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1,112 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1,200 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1,106 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1,195 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1,110 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 1,200 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 1,117 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 1,209 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Tonga?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Tonga was 33.7 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 Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 33.7 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.7 in 1975.
- How does Tonga rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Tonga ranks 2nd out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tonga 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'.