Up to 70% of American Adults Could Be Obese With ‘More Accurate’ Definition
Summary
Researchers from Harvard University found that nearly 70% of American adults could be considered obese under a new definition that includes more measurements than just body mass index (BMI). The study suggests that using additional measures like waist circumference could give a better understanding of body composition and related health risks.Key Facts
- Harvard researchers studied over 300,000 Americans for their analysis.
- The new definition proposes using measurements like waist circumference in addition to BMI.
- This change could increase the classification of obesity in American adults to 68.6%.
- BMI traditionally measures weight relative to height but does not differentiate between muscle and fat.
- The new guidelines identify “anthropometric-only obesity,” recognizing health risks from abdominal fat even in those with normal BMI.
- The researchers found that many people who were obese under BMI criteria still fit the new definition.
- Obesity prevalence increases with age, and preclinical obesity could progress to clinical obesity.
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