Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in Congo
Congo: Mean body mass index (BMI) in men was 22.3 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in Congo, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Congo recorded 22.3 for mean body mass index (bmi) in men in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in Congo peaked at 22.3 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 19.3, in 1975.
Congo ranks 164th of 190 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 19.3 | — |
| 1976 | 19.4 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 19.5 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 19.6 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 19.8 | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 19.9 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 20 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 20.1 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 20.2 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 20.3 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 20.4 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 20.5 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 20.5 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 20.6 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 20.7 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20.9 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20.9 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 21 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 21 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 21.1 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 21.2 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 21.2 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 21.3 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 21.3 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 21.5 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 21.6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 21.8 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 21.9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 22 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 22.1 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 22.2 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 22.3 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.3, 96% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 22.3 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.5, 99% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.52 | 19.3 | 19.8 | 5 |
| 1980s | 20.32 | 19.9 | 20.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.07 | 20.8 | 21.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.67 | 21.4 | 21.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.13 | 22 | 22.3 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More reference data data for Congo
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0199 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1866 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0031 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0668 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0724 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9126 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.017 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in men in Congo?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in men in Congo was 22.3 in 2016, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 22.3 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.3 in 1975.
- How does Congo rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in men?
- Congo ranks 164th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in men rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Mean body mass index (BMI) in men. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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'.