Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in United States of America
United States of America: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 28.9 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in United States of America, 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 United States of America stood at 28.9. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in United States of America peaked at 28.9 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 24.6, in 1975.
That places United States of America 27th 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 United States of America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 24.6 | — |
| 1976 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 24.9 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 26.2 | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 26.6 | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 26.9 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 27.2 | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 27.6 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 28.2 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 28.3 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 28.4 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 28.4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 28.6 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 28.7 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 28.7 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 28.8 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 28.9 | +0.3% |
United States of America compared with similar countries
- United States of America's 28.9 is above the median for high income countries, which is 26.4, 1.1× the median. (61 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.78 | 24.6 | 24.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 25.45 | 25 | 25.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.66 | 26 | 27.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.94 | 27.4 | 28.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.66 | 28.4 | 28.9 | 7 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More gender data for United States of America
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,835 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4626 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 297,814 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 297,814 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6312 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.80 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.83 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in United States of America?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in United States of America was 28.9 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 United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 28.9 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.6 in 1975.
- How does United States of America rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- United States of America ranks 27th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America 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'.