The way the world defines obesity has been in need of an overhaul, according to some experts, and it could be coming soon.
A collective with members from around the world wants to reduce the emphasis on body mass index (BMI), a measurement that has become controversial in health circles.
“The whole goal of this is to get a more precise definition so that we are targeting the people who actually need the help most,” Dr. David Cummings, a University of Washington obesity expert who co-authored the report published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, told the Associated Press.
Announced Tuesday, the new recommendations state that obesity should no longer rely solely on BMI, which uses a formula based on height and weight, but rather include other measurements like waist size along with taking into account any health problems that could be tied to obesity.
“It wouldn’t dramatically change the percentage of people being defined as having obesity, but it would better diagnose the people who really have clinically significant excess fat,” Cummings said, pointing out that about 20% of those currently considered obese would no longer be classified as such, while about 20% of those with obesity-related health problems but low BMI could be moved into the obesity diagnosis.
More than 1 billion people worldwide are estimated to be obese. That number includes 40% of all adults in the U.S., according to the CDC.