Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Zambia
Zambia: Mean body mass index (BMI) in women was 23.7 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in women in Zambia, 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 Zambia stood at 23.7. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Zambia peaked at 23.7 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 20.5, in 1975.
Zambia ranks 159th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.5 | — |
| 1976 | 20.7 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 21.2 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 21.6 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 21.9 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 22.1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 22.2 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.3 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 22.4 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 22.5 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 22.7 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 23.3 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 23.7 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.78 | 20.5 | 21 | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.59 | 21.2 | 21.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.25 | 22 | 22.5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.85 | 22.5 | 23.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.5 | 23.3 | 23.7 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More gender data for Zambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,719 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.61 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,306 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,306 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 340,219 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 341,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 331,557 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 332,331 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 324,712 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Zambia?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in women in Zambia was 23.7 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in women recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.5 in 1975.
- How does Zambia rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in women?
- Zambia ranks 159th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in women rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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'.