Mean BMI (kg/m²) in South Africa
South Africa: Mean BMI (kg/m²) was 27.3 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Latest (2016)
27.3
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
40th
of 189 countries
All-time high
27.3
in 2016
All-time low
24.1
in 1975
Years of data
42
1975–2016
Mean BMI (kg/m²) in South Africa, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 27.3 for mean bmi (kg/m²) in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean bmi (kg/m²) in South Africa peaked at 27.3 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 24.1, in 1975.
South Africa ranks 40th of 189 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean BMI (kg/m²) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 24.1 | — |
| 1976 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 24.4 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 24.7 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.9 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 27.1 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 27.2 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.28 | 24.1 | 24.4 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24.86 | 24.5 | 25.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.66 | 25.3 | 26 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.51 | 26.1 | 26.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.11 | 26.9 | 27.3 | 7 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 0.4769 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.5816 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1293 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean bmi (kg/m²) in South Africa?
- Mean bmi (kg/m²) in South Africa was 27.3 in 2016, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 27.3 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.1 in 1975.
- How does South Africa rank for mean bmi (kg/m²)?
- South Africa ranks 40th out of 189 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean bmi (kg/m²) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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).