Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Mean body mass index (BMI) in men was 27.3 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in United Kingdom, 1975–2016
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 27.3 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 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean body mass index (bmi) in men in United Kingdom peaked at 27.3 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 24, in 1975.
That places United Kingdom 39th out of 190 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Mean body mass index (BMI) in men in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 24 | — |
| 1976 | 24.1 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 24.1 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 24.2 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 24.3 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 24.4 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.5 | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 24.5 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 24.6 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 24.7 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 24.8 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 24.9 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 25 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 25.1 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 25.2 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 25.4 | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 25.5 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 25.6 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25.7 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.8 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 26 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 26.1 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 26.2 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 26.3 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 26.4 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26.5 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 26.6 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 26.7 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26.8 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 26.9 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26.9 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 27 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 27.1 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 27.1 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 27.1 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 27.2 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 27.2 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 27.2 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 27.3 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 27.3 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 27.3 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.14 | 24 | 24.3 | 5 |
| 1980s | 24.77 | 24.4 | 25.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.79 | 25.3 | 26.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.8 | 26.4 | 27.1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.23 | 27.1 | 27.3 | 7 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean body mass index (bmi) in men in United Kingdom?
- Mean body mass index (bmi) in men in United Kingdom was 27.3 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 27.3 in 2014.
- What is the lowest mean body mass index (bmi) in men recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 24 in 1975.
- How does United Kingdom rank for mean body mass index (bmi) in men?
- United Kingdom ranks 39th out of 190 countries with data for 2016.
- Is mean body mass index (bmi) in men rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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'.