New Obesity Definition Would Classify Nearly 70% Of U.S. Adults As Obese

Research published in Jama Network Open shows 69% of U.S. adults would be classified as obese under a proposed new definition, compared to 43% using current BMI standards. The study analyzed 301,026 participants aged 18 to 80 from a U.S. health study conducted between May 2017 and September 2023. The new definition includes people with BMI over 40, those with high BMI plus elevated waist measurements, or those with direct body fat scans showing excess fat. “Recognizing people with [this type of] obesity can lead to more accurate health risk stratification,” said the study’s lead author. The definition splits obesity into clinical and pre-clinical categories based on illness signs. Among those aged 70 and older, prevalence reaches 78% under the new criteria. Medical experts worldwide proposed this definition in January, though it has not been officially adopted. (Story URL)