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STUDY: Millions of middle-aged people are obese

2024-05-15 10:09:00, Shëndeti CNA
STUDY: Millions of middle-aged people are obese
Illustrative photo

Millions of middle-aged people have been mistakenly led to believe they are not obese, according to an Italian study that looked at body fat percentage instead of body mass index.

As we age, muscle sags and fat accumulates around the organs in the waist area, often with no change in weight.

The challenge is to find a tool that easily screens for obesity. BMI is calculated by dividing an adult's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres, the BBC reports. 

-18.5-25 is said to suggest a healthy weight
-25-29 you are overweight
-30 or above indicates you are very fat

It's a quick and easy method, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and fairly accurate in most people in most cases - but it can't tell the difference between fat, muscle and bone.

A study of 4,800 adults aged 40-80, led by the University of Tor Vergata in Rome, looked at an alternative.

Only 38% of men and 41% of women had a BMI over 30, but when their body fat percentage was calculated using scans, 71% and 64% were found to be obese.

"If we continue to use the WHO obesity screening standard, we will miss many middle-aged and older adults who are at risk for obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers," said co-author Antonino De Lorenzo.

"Establishing this new BMI cutoff point in clinical settings and obesity guidelines will benefit the potential health of millions of older adults," De Lorenzo said./CNA 

 





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