Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in Libya
Libya: Mean body mass index (BMI) in men was 26.9 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in Libya, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Libya recorded 26.9 for mean body mass index (bmi) in men in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in Libya peaked at 26.9 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 23.2, in 1975.
That places Libya 59th 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 Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 23.2 | — |
| 1976 | 23.4 | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 23.6 | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 23.7 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 23.9 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 24 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 24.4 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25.1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.5 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25.7 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 25.9 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 26.2 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 26.6 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 26.9 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 26.3, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Libya's 26.9 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27.15, 99% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.56 | 23.2 | 23.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24.52 | 24 | 25 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.41 | 25.1 | 25.7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.08 | 25.8 | 26.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.64 | 26.4 | 26.9 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 59 Estonia 26.9 compare
- 59 Ukraine 26.9 compare
- 62 Costa Rica 26.8 compare
- 62 El Salvador 26.8 compare
More reference data data for Libya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0637 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.021 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2136 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0873 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1144 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in men in Libya?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in men in Libya was 26.9 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 Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 26.9 in 2016.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2 in 1975.
- How does Libya rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in men?
- Libya ranks 59th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in men rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya 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'.