WASHINGTON -โข A newly broadened definition of obesity reveals nearly 70%โค of โAmerican adults โขnow qualify as having the condition, according to research published Octoberโข 16, 2023, in โthe journal Obesity. The findings, based on data from 2015-2020, underscoreโข a significant public health challenge and prompt a reevaluation of how theโฃ nation addresses weight-related health risks.
For decades,obesity has been defined using a Body Mass Indexโข (BMI) of 30 or โคhigher. However, theโค updated criteria, developed byโ the American Heart Association, โฃconsiders a BMI of 25 or greater as โobesity, acknowledging the increased health risksโข associated โคwith โคlower โฃBMI levelsโฃ than previously recognized. this โคshift impacts prevalence โrates dramatically, revealing that โ69.4% of U.S.adults-approximately 183 millionโ people-are now classified as obese.
The revised definitionโค stems โขfrom mounting โขevidenceโ demonstratingโ that health risks traditionally linked to obesity, โคsuch as heart disease, stroke, typeโ 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, โขbegin to increase at a lower BMI โขthreshold.โข “We’re recognizing that the risksโค associated with excess weight start at a lower BMI than we previously thought,” explainedโ dr. Fatima Cody โขStanford, an obesity medicine โphysician and researcher atโค Massachusettsโ General Hospital, and โฃlead author of the โstudy. “Thisโ isn’t about stigmatizing weight; it’sโค about recognizing the physiological impact of weight on health.”
The study analyzed data from โฃthe National โขHealth and Nutritionโ Examination Surveyโฃ (NHANES) involving โover 16,000โ adults. Using the new criteria,โ researchersโ found โขthat 49.3%โข of adults โwere classified as โhaving Class I โobesityโ (BMI 25-29.9), 29.7% as Class II obesity (BMI 30-34.9), and 10.4% asโค Class III โขobesity (BMI โ35 โor โhigher).โข
the change โin definition is expected to influence clinical guidelines, public health โinitiatives, and research โpriorities. Experts anticipate a greater focus on early โintervention and preventative measures to address weight-related healthโฃ issues across a wider segmentโข of the population. The American Heart Association โhopes the updatedโข classification will encourage more individuals to seek support โand treatment, ultimately reducing the burden of โobesity-related diseases.