Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in North Korea
North Korea: Mean body mass index (BMI) in men was 24.2 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in North Korea, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mean body mass index (bmi) in men in North Korea is 24.2, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in North Korea peaked at 24.2 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 21.3, in 1975.
That places North Korea 129th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 21.3 | — |
| 1976 | 21.4 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 21.5 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 21.6 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 21.6 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 21.7 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 21.8 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 21.8 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 21.9 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 22 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 22 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 22.1 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 22.2 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 22.2 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 22.3 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 22.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 22.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 22.5 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 22.5 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 22.6 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 22.6 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 22.7 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 22.8 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 22.8 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 22.9 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 22.9 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 23 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 23.1 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 23.1 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 23.2 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 23.3 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 23.3 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 23.4 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 23.5 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 23.6 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 23.7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23.8 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.9 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.48 | 21.3 | 21.6 | 5 |
| 1980s | 22 | 21.7 | 22.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.61 | 22.3 | 22.9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.24 | 22.9 | 23.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.91 | 23.7 | 24.2 | 7 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More reference data data for North Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3562 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9593 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.75 (2050)
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.22 °C (2026)
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.29 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3103 °C (2026)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 99.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 9,167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 656.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure applied to Soils 316.45 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in men in North Korea?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in men in North Korea was 24.2 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 24.2 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3 in 1975.
- How does North Korea rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in men?
- North Korea ranks 129th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in men rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea 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'.