Nearly 70% of Americans Now Classified as Obese Under New Criteria
New research indicates that approximately 70% of American adults meet the criteria for obesity when using updated diagnostic standards that go beyond traditional body mass index (BMI), a significant increase from previous estimates.
Researchers at Mass General Brigham examined health data from over 300,000 participants in the All of Us research program and published their findings yesterday in JAMA Network Open. The study revealed that while 42.9% of individuals were considered obese under the traditional BMI of 30 or higher, 68.6% met the new criteria, which incorporates measurements like waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, and DEXA scans. This shift in diagnostic approach comes as experts increasingly recognize the limitations of relying solely on BMI to assess health risks associated with excess body fat.
The updated criteria, endorsed by organizations like the American Heart Association and backed by a report from The Lancet earlier this year, aims to better identify individuals at risk of organ dysfunction and long-term health complications. “Our findings suggest that the new obesity definition effectively stratified individuals at high-risk of organ dysfunction and long-term complications,” the authors wrote. Notably, those classified as obese under the new definition, even with a “normal” BMI, still demonstrated a higher risk of health problems compared to those not classified as obese. This could lead to earlier interventions and potentially improve patient outcomes, but also raises questions about access to newer obesity medications.
Co-lead author Lindsay Fourman, an endocrinologist, emphasized the importance of considering body composition beyond weight. “Identifying excess body fat is very important as we’re finding that even people with a normal BMI but with abdominal fat accumulation are at increased health risk,” Fourman stated. The researchers also noted that approximately a quarter of those identified with “clinical obesity” under the new criteria may not currently qualify for certain obesity medications like GLP-1 therapy, highlighting the need for further evaluation of treatment eligibility within this redefined population. The CDC currently tracks obesity rates using the traditional BMI standard.
Researchers plan to continue studying the implications of these new criteria and their impact on patient care and treatment strategies.
