Statizoid

Mean body mass index (BMI) in men by country

Body mass index (BMI) is measured as a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by his height (in meters), squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as 'underweight'; 18.5 to <25 as 'normal/healthy'; 25.0 to <30 as 'overweight'; and >30.0 as 'obese'.

Countries reporting
190
Highest
32.7
Cook Islands
Lowest
20.1
Ethiopia
Median
25.9
Years covered
42
1975–2016
Data points
7,980

What the numbers show

Mean body mass index (BMI) in men is currently reported for 190 countries. The highest value is 32.7 in Cook Islands; the lowest is 20.1 in Ethiopia.

The median across all reporting countries is 25.9, and the mean is 25.46.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.

Over the past decade 184 countries rose and 3 fell. The largest increase was in Saint Lucia (up 8.0%), and the largest decrease in Nauru (down 1.5%).

Mean body mass index (BMI) in men: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Cook Islands 32.7 2016 up 2.8% rising
2 Nauru 32.2 2016 down 1.5% flat
3 Niue 31.4 2016 up 2.3% rising
4 Tonga 30.5 2016 up 1.0% rising
5 Samoa 30.4 2016 up 3.1% rising
6 Tuvalu 30 2016 up 2.0% rising
7 Saint Lucia 29.6 2016 up 8.0% rising
8 Palau 29.5 2016 up 0.7% rising
9 Kiribati 29 2016 up 1.8% rising
9 Kuwait 29 2016 up 3.6% rising
11 Marshall Islands 28.8 2016 up 1.4% rising
11 Qatar 28.8 2016 up 3.6% rising
11 United States 28.8 2016 up 1.8% rising
14 Jordan 28.3 2016 up 4.0% rising
15 Hungary 28.2 2016 up 4.4% rising
15 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28.2 2016 up 4.1% rising
17 Micronesia (country) 28.1 2016 up 1.8% rising
17 New Zealand 28.1 2016 up 2.6% rising
19 United Arab Emirates 28 2016 up 2.9% rising
19 Croatia 28 2016 up 4.5% rising
19 Saudi Arabia 28 2016 up 2.9% rising
22 Czechia 27.9 2016 up 2.6% rising
22 Ireland 27.9 2016 up 2.2% rising
22 Lebanon 27.9 2016 up 3.7% rising
25 Argentina 27.8 2016 up 3.7% rising
25 Chile 27.8 2016 up 3.7% rising
25 Egypt 27.8 2016 up 3.7% rising
25 Iraq 27.8 2016 up 4.5% rising
29 Malta 27.7 2016 up 0.7% rising
30 Australia 27.6 2016 up 1.8% rising
30 Israel 27.6 2016 up 3.4% rising
32 Belize 27.5 2016 up 3.4% rising
32 Cyprus 27.5 2016 up 1.1% rising
32 Georgia 27.5 2016 up 5.0% rising
32 Greece 27.5 2016 up 1.5% rising
32 Mexico 27.5 2016 up 2.6% rising
37 Poland 27.4 2016 up 4.6% rising
37 Syria 27.4 2016 up 3.4% rising
39 Andorra 27.3 2016 up 0.4% rising
39 Canada 27.3 2016 up 0.7% rising
39 Germany 27.3 2016 up 1.9% rising
39 United Kingdom 27.3 2016 up 1.5% rising
39 North Macedonia 27.3 2016 up 3.4% rising
39 Norway 27.3 2016 up 2.6% rising
39 Slovakia 27.3 2016 up 3.0% rising
39 Uruguay 27.3 2016 up 4.6% rising
47 Brunei 27.2 2016 up 5.4% rising
48 Bulgaria 27.1 2016 up 3.4% rising
48 Bahamas 27.1 2016 up 3.0% rising
48 Turkey 27.1 2016 up 3.0% rising
51 Albania 27 2016 up 4.2% rising
51 Spain 27 2016 up 0.4% rising
51 Iceland 27 2016 up 1.9% rising
51 Lithuania 27 2016 up 2.3% rising
51 Luxembourg 27 2016 up 1.9% rising
51 Latvia 27 2016 up 3.4% rising
51 Montenegro 27 2016 up 3.8% rising
51 Romania 27 2016 up 6.3% rising
59 Estonia 26.9 2016 up 2.7% rising
59 Libya 26.9 2016 up 2.7% rising
59 Ukraine 26.9 2016 up 3.1% rising
62 Costa Rica 26.8 2016 up 3.1% rising
62 El Salvador 26.8 2016 up 2.7% rising
64 Switzerland 26.7 2016 up 2.3% rising
64 Sweden 26.7 2016 up 1.9% rising
66 Belgium 26.6 2016 up 1.5% rising
66 Ecuador 26.6 2016 up 4.7% rising
66 Fiji 26.6 2016 up 3.9% rising
66 Moldova 26.6 2016 up 3.5% rising
66 Serbia 26.6 2016 up 2.3% rising
66 Slovenia 26.6 2016 up 3.1% rising
66 Trinidad and Tobago 26.6 2016 up 3.5% rising
66 Venezuela 26.6 2016 up 0.8% rising
74 Austria 26.5 2016 up 1.5% rising
74 Haiti 26.5 2016 up 5.6% rising
74 Italy 26.5 2016 up 0.4% rising
74 Nicaragua 26.5 2016 up 2.7% rising
74 Paraguay 26.5 2016 up 4.3% rising
74 Turkmenistan 26.5 2016 up 4.7% rising
80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26.4 2016 up 3.5% rising
80 Belarus 26.4 2016 up 2.7% rising
80 Barbados 26.4 2016 up 3.5% rising
80 Finland 26.4 2016 unchanged rising
80 Oman 26.4 2016 up 3.5% rising
85 Brazil 26.3 2016 up 4.8% rising
85 Kazakhstan 26.3 2016 up 3.5% rising
85 Uzbekistan 26.3 2016 up 4.8% rising
85 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 26.3 2016 up 4.0% rising
89 Denmark 26.2 2016 up 1.2% rising
89 Panama 26.2 2016 up 2.7% rising
89 Peru 26.2 2016 up 4.8% rising
92 Azerbaijan 26.1 2016 up 3.6% rising
92 Portugal 26.1 2016 unchanged rising
94 Netherlands 26 2016 up 1.6% rising
95 France 25.9 2016 up 1.2% rising
95 Honduras 25.9 2016 up 3.6% rising
95 Kyrgyzstan 25.9 2016 up 4.0% rising
95 Mongolia 25.9 2016 up 6.1% rising
99 Colombia 25.8 2016 up 4.5% rising
99 Jamaica 25.8 2016 up 4.9% rising
99 Russia 25.8 2016 up 2.0% rising
99 Tajikistan 25.8 2016 up 4.5% rising
103 Antigua and Barbuda 25.7 2016 up 3.6% rising
103 Guatemala 25.7 2016 up 3.2% rising
103 Solomon Islands 25.7 2016 up 3.6% rising
106 Armenia 25.6 2016 up 3.2% rising
106 Vanuatu 25.6 2016 up 1.2% rising
108 Dominican Republic 25.5 2016 up 2.8% rising
108 Seychelles 25.5 2016 up 3.2% rising
108 Tunisia 25.5 2016 up 3.7% rising
111 Morocco 25.4 2016 up 4.1% rising
111 Suriname 25.4 2016 up 2.8% rising
113 Bolivia 25.3 2016 up 4.5% rising
113 Malaysia 25.3 2016 up 4.5% rising
113 Papua New Guinea 25.3 2016 up 3.3% rising
116 Cuba 25.2 2016 up 3.3% rising
116 Grenada 25.2 2016 up 3.7% rising
116 Iran 25.2 2016 up 2.0% rising
119 Guyana 25.1 2016 up 3.7% rising
120 Dominica 25 2016 up 3.7% rising
120 South Africa 25 2016 up 2.0% rising
122 Bahrain 24.8 2016 down 0.8% flat
123 Algeria 24.7 2016 up 3.3% rising
124 Maldives 24.6 2016 up 6.5% rising
124 Mauritius 24.6 2016 up 1.7% rising
126 Eswatini 24.5 2016 up 3.4% rising
127 South Korea 24.4 2016 up 2.5% rising
128 Singapore 24.3 2016 up 2.1% rising
129 China 24.2 2016 up 5.7% rising
129 North Korea 24.2 2016 up 3.9% rising
131 Gabon 24 2016 up 2.6% rising
132 Sao Tome and Principe 23.9 2016 up 2.1% rising
132 Thailand 23.9 2016 up 4.8% rising
134 Cape Verde 23.7 2016 up 2.2% rising
135 Cameroon 23.6 2016 up 2.2% rising
135 Japan 23.6 2016 up 1.3% rising
135 Yemen 23.6 2016 up 3.5% rising
138 Bhutan 23.5 2016 up 4.0% rising
139 Cote d'Ivoire 23.4 2016 up 2.2% rising
139 Djibouti 23.4 2016 up 1.3% rising
139 Gambia 23.4 2016 up 5.4% rising
142 Comoros 23.3 2016 up 2.6% rising
142 Pakistan 23.3 2016 up 3.6% rising
144 Mauritania 23.2 2016 up 1.8% rising
145 Liberia 23.1 2016 unchanged rising
146 Mali 22.9 2016 up 3.2% rising
146 Namibia 22.9 2016 up 3.6% rising
148 Guinea-Bissau 22.8 2016 up 2.7% rising
148 Philippines 22.8 2016 up 2.2% rising
150 Laos 22.7 2016 up 5.6% rising
150 Lesotho 22.7 2016 up 3.2% rising
152 Afghanistan 22.6 2016 up 3.7% rising
152 Benin 22.6 2016 up 2.3% rising
152 Malawi 22.6 2016 up 2.7% rising
155 Botswana 22.5 2016 up 1.8% rising
155 Ghana 22.5 2016 up 0.4% rising
155 Indonesia 22.5 2016 up 4.2% rising
155 Sri Lanka 22.5 2016 up 4.7% rising
155 Nigeria 22.5 2016 up 1.4% rising
155 Nepal 22.5 2016 up 4.2% rising
155 Somalia 22.5 2016 up 2.3% rising
155 Togo 22.5 2016 up 1.8% rising
163 Guinea 22.4 2016 up 1.8% rising
164 Angola 22.3 2016 up 3.2% rising
164 Congo 22.3 2016 up 2.3% rising
164 Equatorial Guinea 22.3 2016 up 2.3% rising
164 Tanzania 22.3 2016 up 1.4% rising
168 Burkina Faso 22.2 2016 up 2.8% rising
168 Myanmar 22.2 2016 up 4.2% rising
168 Zimbabwe 22.2 2016 up 1.4% rising
171 Kenya 22.1 2016 up 1.8% rising
171 Cambodia 22.1 2016 up 4.2% rising
173 Central African Republic 22 2016 up 2.8% rising
173 Mozambique 22 2016 up 2.3% rising
175 Sierra Leone 21.9 2016 up 0.9% rising
175 Chad 21.9 2016 up 1.9% rising
175 Vietnam 21.9 2016 up 6.8% rising
178 Burundi 21.8 2016 up 2.3% rising
178 Senegal 21.8 2016 up 1.4% rising
180 India 21.7 2016 up 3.3% rising
181 Uganda 21.6 2016 up 3.3% rising
182 Madagascar 21.5 2016 up 1.9% rising
183 Niger 21.4 2016 up 1.9% rising
184 Bangladesh 21.3 2016 up 2.4% rising
184 Democratic Republic of Congo 21.3 2016 up 2.9% rising
184 Rwanda 21.3 2016 up 2.4% rising
184 East Timor 21.3 2016 up 4.4% rising
184 Zambia 21.3 2016 up 2.4% rising
189 Eritrea 20.2 2016 down 0.5% rising
190 Ethiopia 20.1 2016 up 1.0% rising

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Mean body mass index (BMI) in men by country. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/mean-body-mass-index-bmi-in-adult-males/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/mean-body-mass-index-bmi-in-adult-males/">Mean body mass index (BMI) in men by country</a> β€” Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men
Source
World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
190 places, 7,980 data points, 1975–2016
Last refreshed

Body mass index (BMI) is measured as a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by his height (in meters), squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as 'underweight'; 18.5 to <25 as 'normal/healthy'; 25.0 to <30 as 'overweight'; and >30.0 as 'obese'.