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Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese by country

Share of women (% of adult population), who are underweight, healthy/normal, overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI). Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight divided by their height squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as underweight; 18.6 to 25.0 as normal/healthy; 25.1 to 30 as overweight; and >30.0...

Countries reporting
198
Highest
26.5%
Bangladesh
Lowest
0.3%
Tonga
Median
3.1%
Years covered
40
1975–2014
Data points
7,920

What the numbers show

Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese is currently reported for 198 countries. The highest value is 26.5% in Bangladesh; the lowest is 0.3% in Tonga.

The median across all reporting countries is 3.1%, and the mean is 5.5%.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 88.

Over the past decade 1 countries rose and 192 fell. The largest increase was in Japan (up 6.4%), and the largest decrease in Tonga (down 40.0%).

Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Bangladesh 26.5% 2014 down 14.0% falling
2 India 24.9% 2014 down 14.4% falling
3 Afghanistan 19.7% 2014 down 14.7% falling
3 Eritrea 19.7% 2014 down 5.7% falling
5 Nepal 19.0% 2014 down 19.1% falling
6 Viet Nam 18.6% 2014 down 20.5% falling
7 Ethiopia 17.3% 2014 down 8.5% falling
8 Madagascar 16.5% 2014 down 7.3% falling
9 Pakistan 16.3% 2014 down 17.7% falling
10 Cambodia 16.0% 2014 down 18.4% falling
11 Myanmar 14.8% 2014 down 21.7% falling
12 Central African Republic 14.6% 2014 down 7.0% falling
13 Niger 14.4% 2014 down 9.4% falling
14 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.3% 2014 down 9.5% falling
14 Philippines 14.3% 2014 down 14.4% falling
16 Chad 14.2% 2014 down 10.7% falling
17 Burkina Faso 14.1% 2014 down 8.4% falling
17 Somalia 14.1% 2014 down 4.7% falling
19 Lao People's Democratic Republic 14.0% 2014 down 20.0% falling
20 Indonesia 13.6% 2014 down 20.5% falling
21 Burundi 12.9% 2014 down 9.2% falling
22 Congo 12.2% 2014 down 10.3% falling
23 Bhutan 12.0% 2014 down 25.9% falling
24 Sri Lanka 11.9% 2014 down 23.2% falling
24 Senegal 11.9% 2014 down 10.5% falling
26 Mali 11.8% 2014 down 9.9% falling
26 Mozambique 11.8% 2014 down 9.2% falling
28 Angola 11.7% 2014 down 18.2% falling
29 Djibouti 11.6% 2014 down 6.5% falling
30 Guinea 11.2% 2014 down 8.2% falling
30 Guinea-Bissau 11.2% 2014 down 6.7% falling
32 Gambia 11.1% 2014 down 9.0% falling
33 Tanzania, United Republic of 10.9% 2014 down 12.8% falling
34 Korea, Democratic People&#x27;s Republic of 10.8% 2014 down 3.6% falling
35 Sierra Leone 10.6% 2014 down 13.8% falling
36 Malawi 10.5% 2014 down 13.9% falling
37 Uganda 10.4% 2014 down 11.1% falling
38 Japan 10.0% 2014 up 6.4% falling
39 Kenya 9.9% 2014 down 16.1% falling
40 Mauritania 9.8% 2014 down 11.7% falling
41 Togo 9.7% 2014 down 12.6% falling
42 Benin 9.5% 2014 down 13.6% falling
43 Comoros 9.4% 2014 down 11.3% falling
43 Nigeria 9.4% 2014 down 21.0% falling
43 Zambia 9.4% 2014 down 14.5% falling
46 Thailand 9.1% 2014 down 20.9% falling
47 Liberia 9.0% 2014 down 11.8% falling
47 Rwanda 9.0% 2014 down 12.6% falling
47 Sudan 9.0% 2014 down 14.3% falling
50 Maldives 8.9% 2014 down 23.3% falling
51 Namibia 8.7% 2014 down 18.7% falling
52 Malaysia 8.6% 2014 down 20.4% falling
53 Equatorial Guinea 8.4% 2014 down 21.5% falling
54 Yemen 8.3% 2014 down 17.0% falling
55 Haiti 8.2% 2014 down 19.6% falling
56 Côte d'Ivoire 7.9% 2014 down 11.2% falling
56 Singapore 7.9% 2014 down 6.0% falling
58 Sao Tome and Principe 7.6% 2014 down 16.5% falling
59 Brunei Darussalam 7.1% 2014 down 15.5% falling
60 Gabon 7.0% 2014 down 6.7% falling
61 Taiwan, China 6.7% 2014 down 5.6% falling
62 Ghana 6.6% 2014 down 19.5% falling
63 Cameroon 6.4% 2014 down 16.9% falling
64 Botswana 6.3% 2014 down 19.2% falling
65 Hong Kong, China 6.1% 2014 down 11.6% falling
66 China 6.0% 2014 down 28.6% falling
67 Lesotho 5.7% 2014 down 19.7% falling
68 Mauritius 5.6% 2014 down 22.2% falling
68 Zimbabwe 5.6% 2014 down 9.7% falling
70 Republic of Korea 5.2% 2014 down 20.0% falling
71 Eswatini 4.8% 2014 down 23.8% falling
71 Tajikistan 4.8% 2014 down 23.8% falling
73 Cuba 4.6% 2014 down 24.6% falling
74 Oman 4.5% 2014 down 21.1% falling
75 Algeria 4.1% 2014 down 24.1% falling
75 Guyana 4.1% 2014 down 25.5% falling
77 Dominican Republic 4.0% 2014 down 24.5% falling
78 Kyrgyzstan 3.8% 2014 down 22.4% falling
78 Seychelles 3.8% 2014 down 22.4% falling
78 Uzbekistan 3.8% 2014 down 24.0% falling
81 Morocco 3.7% 2014 down 22.9% falling
82 Suriname 3.6% 2014 down 21.7% falling
83 Switzerland 3.5% 2014 down 5.4% falling
83 Georgia 3.5% 2014 down 16.7% falling
83 Papua New Guinea 3.5% 2014 down 25.5% falling
83 Turkmenistan 3.5% 2014 down 27.1% falling
87 Bahrain 3.4% 2014 down 17.1% falling
87 Brazil 3.4% 2014 down 26.1% falling
87 Jamaica 3.4% 2014 down 26.1% falling
87 Mongolia 3.4% 2014 down 20.9% falling
87 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3.4% 2014 down 30.6% falling
92 Hungary 3.3% 2014 unchanged falling
92 Iraq 3.3% 2014 down 19.5% falling
92 South Africa 3.3% 2014 down 17.5% falling
95 Serbia 3.2% 2014 down 5.9% falling
96 Dominica 3.1% 2014 down 22.5% falling
96 Denmark 3.1% 2014 down 8.8% falling
96 France 3.1% 2014 down 8.8% falling
96 Iran, Islamic Republic of 3.1% 2014 down 27.9% falling
96 Tunisia 3.1% 2014 down 24.4% falling
101 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.0% 2014 down 18.9% falling
101 Belize 3.0% 2014 down 25.0% falling
101 Honduras 3.0% 2014 down 23.1% falling
101 Saint Lucia 3.0% 2014 down 31.8% falling
101 Republic of Moldova 3.0% 2014 down 16.7% falling
106 Armenia 2.9% 2014 down 29.3% falling
106 Austria 2.9% 2014 down 12.1% falling
106 Barbados 2.9% 2014 down 29.3% falling
106 Grenada 2.9% 2014 down 32.6% falling
106 North Macedonia 2.9% 2014 down 9.4% falling
111 Colombia 2.8% 2014 down 15.2% falling
111 Kazakhstan 2.8% 2014 down 31.7% falling
111 Nicaragua 2.8% 2014 down 20.0% falling
111 Romania 2.8% 2014 down 12.5% falling
111 Slovakia 2.8% 2014 down 9.7% falling
116 Albania 2.7% 2014 down 18.2% falling
116 Azerbaijan 2.7% 2014 down 28.9% falling
116 Puerto Rico 2.7% 2014 down 15.6% falling
116 Syrian Arab Republic 2.7% 2014 down 22.9% falling
120 Bulgaria 2.6% 2014 unchanged falling
120 Montenegro 2.6% 2014 down 10.3% falling
120 Solomon Islands 2.6% 2014 down 23.5% falling
120 Slovenia 2.6% 2014 down 10.3% falling
120 Vanuatu 2.6% 2014 down 25.7% falling
125 Bahamas 2.5% 2014 down 16.7% falling
125 Croatia 2.5% 2014 down 13.8% falling
125 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.5% 2014 down 28.6% falling
125 Norway 2.5% 2014 down 10.7% falling
125 Russian Federation 2.5% 2014 down 10.7% falling
130 Antigua and Barbuda 2.4% 2014 down 31.4% falling
130 Costa Rica 2.4% 2014 down 20.0% falling
130 Estonia 2.4% 2014 down 11.1% falling
130 Greenland 2.4% 2014 down 11.1% falling
130 Panama 2.4% 2014 down 22.6% falling
130 Paraguay 2.4% 2014 down 27.3% falling
130 El Salvador 2.4% 2014 down 25.0% falling
130 Ukraine 2.4% 2014 down 11.1% falling
138 Belarus 2.3% 2014 down 14.8% falling
138 Bermuda 2.3% 2014 down 11.5% falling
138 Latvia 2.3% 2014 down 14.8% falling
138 Poland 2.3% 2014 down 8.0% falling
138 Trinidad and Tobago 2.3% 2014 down 37.8% falling
143 Guatemala 2.2% 2014 down 24.1% falling
143 Lebanon 2.2% 2014 down 8.3% falling
143 Luxembourg 2.2% 2014 down 4.3% falling
143 Netherlands 2.2% 2014 down 8.3% falling
143 Saudi Arabia 2.2% 2014 down 21.4% falling
143 Sweden 2.2% 2014 down 15.4% falling
149 United Arab Emirates 2.1% 2014 down 4.5% falling
149 Fiji 2.1% 2014 down 19.2% falling
151 Germany 2.0% 2014 down 9.1% falling
151 Italy 2.0% 2014 down 16.7% falling
151 Libya 2.0% 2014 down 16.7% falling
154 Belgium 1.9% 2014 down 5.0% falling
154 Finland 1.9% 2014 down 5.0% falling
154 Portugal 1.9% 2014 down 20.8% falling
154 United States of America 1.9% 2014 down 13.6% falling
158 Australia 1.8% 2014 down 18.2% falling
158 Czechia 1.8% 2014 unchanged falling
158 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.8% 2014 down 14.3% falling
158 Iceland 1.8% 2014 down 10.0% falling
158 Qatar 1.8% 2014 down 18.2% falling
163 Cyprus 1.7% 2014 down 15.0% falling
163 Mexico 1.7% 2014 down 26.1% falling
165 Andorra 1.6% 2014 down 5.9% falling
165 New Zealand 1.6% 2014 down 20.0% falling
165 Palestine, State of 1.6% 2014 down 11.1% falling
165 Türkiye 1.6% 2014 down 27.3% falling
169 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.5% 2014 down 21.1% falling
169 Greece 1.5% 2014 down 6.2% falling
169 Israel 1.5% 2014 down 6.2% falling
169 Kiribati 1.5% 2014 down 25.0% falling
169 Lithuania 1.5% 2014 down 16.7% falling
169 Malta 1.5% 2014 down 11.8% falling
169 Uruguay 1.5% 2014 down 28.6% falling
176 Canada 1.4% 2014 down 17.6% falling
176 Spain 1.4% 2014 down 12.5% falling
176 Ireland 1.4% 2014 down 17.6% falling
176 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1.4% 2014 down 17.6% falling
180 Argentina 1.3% 2014 down 23.5% falling
180 Ecuador 1.3% 2014 down 18.8% falling
180 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.3% 2014 down 31.6% falling
180 Kuwait 1.3% 2014 down 18.8% falling
184 Jordan 1.2% 2014 down 25.0% falling
184 Peru 1.2% 2014 down 25.0% falling
186 Marshall Islands 1.1% 2014 down 15.4% falling
187 Chile 1.0% 2014 down 28.6% falling
187 Palau 1.0% 2014 down 16.7% falling
187 French Polynesia 1.0% 2014 down 16.7% falling
190 Egypt 0.9% 2014 down 35.7% falling
191 Tuvalu 0.8% 2014 down 20.0% falling
192 Cook Islands 0.7% 2014 down 22.2% falling
192 Niue 0.7% 2014 down 30.0% volatile
192 Tokelau 0.7% 2014 down 36.4% volatile
195 Naoero 0.6% 2014 unchanged falling
196 American Samoa 0.5% 2014 unchanged falling
197 Samoa 0.4% 2014 down 33.3% volatile
198 Tonga 0.3% 2014 down 40.0% volatile

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Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese by country. Statizoid, drawing on NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-women-defined-as-underweight-healthy-overweight-or-obese/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese
Unit
%
Source
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
198 places, 7,920 data points, 1975–2014
Last refreshed

Share of women (% of adult population), who are underweight, healthy/normal, overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI). Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight divided by their height squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as underweight; 18.6 to 25.0 as normal/healthy; 25.1 to 30 as overweight; and >30.0 as obese.