Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in New Zealand
New Zealand: Mean body mass index (BMI) in men was 28.1 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in New Zealand, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2016, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in New Zealand stood at 28.1. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in New Zealand peaked at 28.1 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 24.5, in 1975.
That places New Zealand 17th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 24.5 | — |
| 1976 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 24.7 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.9 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 25.2 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 26.5 | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 27.8 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 28 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 28.1 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 28.1 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.66 | 24.5 | 24.8 | 5 |
| 1980s | 25.21 | 24.9 | 25.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.18 | 25.7 | 26.7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.25 | 26.8 | 27.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.96 | 27.8 | 28.1 | 7 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 14 Jordan 28.3 compare
- 15 Hungary 28.2 compare
- 15 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28.2 compare
- 17 Micronesia, Federated States of 28.1 compare
- 19 Croatia 28 compare
- 19 Saudi Arabia 28 compare
- 19 United Arab Emirates 28 compare
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in men in New Zealand?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in men in New Zealand was 28.1 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 28.1 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.5 in 1975.
- How does New Zealand rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in men?
- New Zealand ranks 17th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in men rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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'.