Mean BMI (kg/m²) in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Mean BMI (kg/m²) was 27.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
27.1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
48th
of 189 countries
All-time high
27.1
in 2013
All-time low
23.7
in 1975
Years of data
42
1975–2016

Mean BMI (kg/m²) in United Kingdom, 1975–2016

01020301975199520161975: 23.71976: 23.81977: 23.91978: 241979: 241980: 24.11981: 24.21982: 24.31983: 24.41984: 24.51985: 24.61986: 24.71987: 24.81988: 24.91989: 251990: 25.11991: 25.21992: 25.41993: 25.51994: 25.61995: 25.71996: 25.81997: 25.91998: 261999: 26.22000: 26.32001: 26.42002: 26.52003: 26.52004: 26.62005: 26.72006: 26.82007: 26.82008: 26.92009: 26.92010: 272011: 272012: 272013: 27.12014: 27.12015: 27.12016: 27.1

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2016, mean bmi (kg/m²) in United Kingdom stood at 27.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mean bmi (kg/m²) in United Kingdom peaked at 27.1 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 23.7, in 1975.

United Kingdom ranks 48th 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 United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Mean BMI (kg/m²) (age-standardized estimate) in United Kingdom, 1975 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1975 23.7
1976 23.8 +0.4%
1977 23.9 +0.4%
1978 24 +0.4%
1979 24 +0.0%
1980 24.1 +0.4%
1981 24.2 +0.4%
1982 24.3 +0.4%
1983 24.4 +0.4%
1984 24.5 +0.4%
1985 24.6 +0.4%
1986 24.7 +0.4%
1987 24.8 +0.4%
1988 24.9 +0.4%
1989 25 +0.4%
1990 25.1 +0.4%
1991 25.2 +0.4%
1992 25.4 +0.8%
1993 25.5 +0.4%
1994 25.6 +0.4%
1995 25.7 +0.4%
1996 25.8 +0.4%
1997 25.9 +0.4%
1998 26 +0.4%
1999 26.2 +0.8%
2000 26.3 +0.4%
2001 26.4 +0.4%
2002 26.5 +0.4%
2003 26.5 +0.0%
2004 26.6 +0.4%
2005 26.7 +0.4%
2006 26.8 +0.4%
2007 26.8 +0.0%
2008 26.9 +0.4%
2009 26.9 +0.0%
2010 27 +0.4%
2011 27 +0.0%
2012 27 +0.0%
2013 27.1 +0.4%
2014 27.1 +0.0%
2015 27.1 +0.0%
2016 27.1 +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 23.88 23.7 24 5
1980s 24.55 24.1 25 10
1990s 25.64 25.1 26.2 10
2000s 26.64 26.3 26.9 10
2010s 27.06 27 27.1 7

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 45 Brunei Darussalam 27.2 compare
  2. 45 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27.2 compare
  3. 45 Nicaragua 27.2 compare
  4. 48 Czechia 27.1 compare
  5. 48 Azerbaijan 27.1 compare
  6. 48 Malta 27.1 compare
  7. 48 Greece 27.1 compare
  8. 48 Australia 27.1 compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More health data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is mean bmi (kg/m²) in United Kingdom?
Mean bmi (kg/m²) in United Kingdom was 27.1 in 2016, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 27.1 in 2013.
What is the lowest mean bmi (kg/m²) recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 23.7 in 1975.
How does United Kingdom rank for mean bmi (kg/m²)?
United Kingdom ranks 48th out of 189 countries with data for 2016.
Is mean bmi (kg/m²) rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/mean-bmi-kg-m2-age-standardized-estimate/united-kingdom/

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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