Mean BMI (kg/m²) in Rwanda
Rwanda: Mean BMI (kg/m²) was 22.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Latest (2016)
22.1
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
178th
of 189 countries
All-time high
22.1
in 2016
All-time low
18.4
in 1975
Years of data
42
1975–2016
Mean BMI (kg/m²) in Rwanda, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2016, mean bmi (kg/m²) in Rwanda stood at 22.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean bmi (kg/m²) in Rwanda peaked at 22.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 18.4, in 1975.
That places Rwanda 178th out of 189 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean BMI (kg/m²) in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 18.4 | — |
| 1976 | 18.6 | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 18.7 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 18.8 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 18.9 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 19 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 19.2 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 19.3 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 19.5 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 19.6 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 19.7 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 19.8 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 21.2 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 21.5 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 21.7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 21.9 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 22.1 is below the median for low income countries, which is 22.8, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 22.1 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.3, 95% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.68 | 18.4 | 18.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 19.42 | 19 | 19.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.35 | 19.9 | 20.8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.27 | 20.9 | 21.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.87 | 21.7 | 22.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 176 Burkina Faso 22.2 compare
- 176 Cambodia 22.2 compare
- 179 Democratic Republic of Congo 22 compare
- 180 Vietnam 21.9 compare
- 180 Chad 21.9 compare
More health data for Rwanda
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.891 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 860.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,738 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9441 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.065 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9697 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean bmi (kg/m²) in Rwanda?
- Mean bmi (kg/m²) in Rwanda was 22.1 in 2016, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 22.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.4 in 1975.
- How does Rwanda rank for mean bmi (kg/m²)?
- Rwanda ranks 178th out of 189 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean bmi (kg/m²) rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).