Mean BMI (kg/m²) in North Korea

North Korea: Mean BMI (kg/m²) was 24.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
24.1
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
136th
of 189 countries
All-time high
24.1
in 2016
All-time low
21.7
in 1975
Years of data
42
1975–2016

Mean BMI (kg/m²) in North Korea, 1975–2016

05101520251975199520161975: 21.71976: 21.81977: 21.91978: 21.91979: 221980: 221981: 22.11982: 22.11983: 22.21984: 22.21985: 22.31986: 22.41987: 22.41988: 22.51989: 22.51990: 22.51991: 22.61992: 22.61993: 22.71994: 22.71995: 22.81996: 22.81997: 22.91998: 22.91999: 232000: 232001: 23.12002: 23.12003: 23.22004: 23.22005: 23.32006: 23.32007: 23.42008: 23.52009: 23.52010: 23.62011: 23.72012: 23.82013: 23.92014: 23.92015: 242016: 24.1

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2016, mean bmi (kg/m²) in North Korea stood at 24.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.

The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mean bmi (kg/m²) in North Korea peaked at 24.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 21.7, in 1975.

North Korea ranks 136th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.

Mean BMI (kg/m²) in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for Mean BMI (kg/m²) (age-standardized estimate) in North Korea, 1975 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1975 21.7
1976 21.8 +0.5%
1977 21.9 +0.5%
1978 21.9 +0.0%
1979 22 +0.5%
1980 22 +0.0%
1981 22.1 +0.5%
1982 22.1 +0.0%
1983 22.2 +0.5%
1984 22.2 +0.0%
1985 22.3 +0.5%
1986 22.4 +0.4%
1987 22.4 +0.0%
1988 22.5 +0.4%
1989 22.5 +0.0%
1990 22.5 +0.0%
1991 22.6 +0.4%
1992 22.6 +0.0%
1993 22.7 +0.4%
1994 22.7 +0.0%
1995 22.8 +0.4%
1996 22.8 +0.0%
1997 22.9 +0.4%
1998 22.9 +0.0%
1999 23 +0.4%
2000 23 +0.0%
2001 23.1 +0.4%
2002 23.1 +0.0%
2003 23.2 +0.4%
2004 23.2 +0.0%
2005 23.3 +0.4%
2006 23.3 +0.0%
2007 23.4 +0.4%
2008 23.5 +0.4%
2009 23.5 +0.0%
2010 23.6 +0.4%
2011 23.7 +0.4%
2012 23.8 +0.4%
2013 23.9 +0.4%
2014 23.9 +0.0%
2015 24 +0.4%
2016 24.1 +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 21.86 21.7 22 5
1980s 22.27 22 22.5 10
1990s 22.75 22.5 23 10
2000s 23.26 23 23.5 10
2010s 23.86 23.6 24.1 7

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 133 Botswana 24.3 compare
  2. 133 Cameroon 24.3 compare
  3. 135 Namibia 24.2 compare
  4. 136 Liberia 24.1 compare
  5. 138 Djibouti 24 compare
  6. 138 Gambia 24 compare
  7. 138 Equatorial Guinea 24 compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More health data for North Korea

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is mean bmi (kg/m²) in North Korea?
Mean bmi (kg/m²) in North Korea was 24.1 in 2016, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 24.1 in 2016.
What is the lowest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 21.7 in 1975.
How does North Korea rank for mean bmi (kg/m²)?
North Korea ranks 136th out of 189 countries with data for 2016.
Is mean bmi (kg/m²) rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this North Korea data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Mean BMI (kg/m²) (age-standardized estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mean BMI (kg/m²) in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/mean-bmi-kg-m2-age-standardized-estimate/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Mean BMI (kg/m²) (age-standardized estimate)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
202 places, 8,484 data points, 1975–2016
Last refreshed