Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India
India: Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese was 24.9% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India, 1975–2014
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2014, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India stood at 24.9%. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India peaked at 37.4% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 24.9%, in 2014.
India ranks 2nd of 198 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 37.4% | — |
| 1976 | 37.2% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 37.0% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 36.7% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 36.5% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 36.2% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 36.0% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 35.7% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 35.4% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 35.2% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 34.9% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 34.6% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 34.3% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 33.8% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 33.5% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 33.3% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 33.0% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 32.7% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 32.5% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 31.6% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 31.2% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 30.9% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 30.5% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 30.2% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 29.8% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 29.1% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 28.7% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 28.3% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 27.9% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 27.5% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 27.1% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 26.7% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 26.2% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 25.8% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 25.4% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 24.9% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.0% | 36.5% | 37.4% | 5 |
| 1980s | 35.0% | 33.8% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.3% | 30.9% | 33.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.9% | 27.1% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.8% | 24.9% | 26.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 1 Bangladesh 26.5% compare
- 3 Afghanistan 19.7% compare
- 3 Eritrea 19.7% compare
- 5 Nepal 19.0% compare
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.0386 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, annual growth rate -0.9634 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0419 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India?
- Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in India was 24.9% in 2014, according to NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 37.4% in 1975.
- What is the lowest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.9% in 2014.
- How does India rank for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese?
- India ranks 2nd out of 198 countries with data for 2014.
- Is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.