Synopsis
Health experts emphasize that while Body Mass Index (BMI) is a useful screening tool, obesity confirmation requires accurate body fat measurement. This insight comes as India updates its obesity guidelines for the first time in 15 years, shifting focus from BMI to more comprehensive evaluations.Key Takeaways
- Body Mass Index (BMI) is primarily a screening tool.
- Obesity should be confirmed through body fat measurements.
- New classifications include pre-clinical and clinical obesity.
- Abdominal obesity and comorbidities are critical health indicators.
- Dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles contribute significantly to obesity rates.
New Delhi, Jan 18 (NationPress) Body Mass Index (BMI) serves as a screening tool, however, to confirm obesity, it is essential to measure body fat, according to health experts who spoke on Saturday. This statement comes as India updates its obesity guidelines after 15 years.
Historically, BMI has been the standard for defining obesity, but a collective of medical professionals has revised this definition to better reflect the Indian demographic.
Highlighting the serious nature of obesity in the country, which threatens to burden healthcare resources, the experts involved in this redefinition emphasized the necessity of moving beyond BMI-centric evaluations to address the rising health risks.
The new methodology, published this week in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, emphasizes abdominal obesity and related comorbidities rather than relying solely on BMI. Dr. Naval Vikram, a Professor of Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, explained to IANS that the updated definition categorizes obesity into pre-clinical and clinical obesity.
Preclinical obesity involves an excess of adipose tissue without impacting organ function, which could be a temporary state that may progress to clinical obesity, increasing the risk of obesity-related illnesses. Conversely, clinical obesity is characterized as a chronic systemic condition with dysfunction in organ systems due to excessive fat accumulation, according to Vikram.
“While BMI can be employed for screening, confirming obesity ideally requires a body fat measurement, or alternative metrics such as waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, or waist-to-hip ratio,” he added.
The previous guidelines from 2009 primarily relied on BMI, ignoring the distinct body compositions among Indians. Research indicates that health risks can arise in individuals with a BMI below 30, which calls for revised thresholds for accurate assessments.
According to Vikram, new cutoff values may need to be established based on gender and ethnicity. Individuals classified as clinically obese should receive suitable treatment, while those with preclinical obesity ought to receive counseling and preventive interventions.
Dr. Anoop Misra, Executive Chairman & Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Fortis C-DOC Hospital, remarked that the revised definitions and classifications of obesity hold substantial implications. Misra highlighted the alarming trend of obesity prevalence doubling in India over the past two decades, with abdominal obesity becoming increasingly widespread.
There is a significant rise in childhood obesity rates across the nation, alongside surges in related conditions such as diabetes, lipid disorders, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases.
In this context, “disregarding BMI-only methods aids in preventing both under- and over-diagnosis of obesity-related health issues,” Misra stated.
“The new frameworks allow for more accurate, personalized treatment strategies that take into account individual metabolic profiles and risk factors,” he continued.
The experts also highlighted concerning dietary trends—an uptick in packaged food consumption and a decline in home-cooked meals; along with a rise in sedentary lifestyles, partly due to increased screen time (both leisure and work-related) and fewer opportunities for physical activity.
They recommended avoiding foods high in fats, salt, and sugars to combat obesity, and emphasized the importance of a balanced diet rich in both macro- and micro-nutrients, preferably from home-cooked sources.
(Rachel V Thomas can be contacted at rachel.t@ians.in)
