Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Mean body mass index (BMI) in men was 28 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in United Arab Emirates, 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 United Arab Emirates is 28, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in United Arab Emirates peaked at 28 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 24.7, in 1975.
United Arab Emirates ranks 19th of 190 countries on this measure, 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 United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 24.7 | — |
| 1976 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 24.8 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 25.3 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 25.7 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 25.9 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 26 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 26.1 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 26.7 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 27.1 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 27.4 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 27.4 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 27.5 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 27.6 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 27.7 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 27.8 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 27.9 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 28 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 28 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.84 | 24.7 | 25 | 5 |
| 1980s | 25.46 | 25.1 | 25.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.28 | 25.9 | 26.7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.09 | 26.7 | 27.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.79 | 27.5 | 28 | 7 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 17 Micronesia (country) 28.1 compare
- 17 New Zealand 28.1 compare
- 19 Croatia 28 compare
- 19 Saudi Arabia 28 compare
- 22 Czechia 27.9 compare
- 22 Ireland 27.9 compare
- 22 Lebanon 27.9 compare
More reference data data for United Arab Emirates
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0407 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4839 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1364 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0486 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0008 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in men in United Arab Emirates?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in men in United Arab Emirates was 28 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 28 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.7 in 1975.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in men?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 19th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in men rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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'.