Obesity and ethnicity
The problem of underestimating obesity is even worse in some population groups. The extent to which the BMI misclassifies the body fatness of people depends on their ethnicity. It is well established, but not well known, that BMI misclassifies children and adults in south and east Asia even more than Europeans. 2022’s Best Weight Loss Tablets For Female
There is emerging evidence that this problem extends to using BMI in other population groups too. In our recent study of children living in eight cities across Africa from Windhoek in the south to Tunis in the north, we found that 9% were obese according to their BMI-for-age, but 29% had high body fat according to a stable isotope technique designed for measuring body fatness.
People in south Asia are more likely to misclassified according to the BMI measure of fatness than Europeans. Shutterstock
By underestimating the prevalence of obesity because of reliance on BMI in clinics, research studies and national health surveys, we also underestimate the need for action to prevent and treat obesity. What Are The Top 2 Weight Loss Tablets For Women. To use our African study as an example, the case for action at a 29% prevalence of obesity is much stronger than at a prevalence of 9%. Obesity is far more common than it seems, and it requires much greater effort and more urgent attention than it is currently receiving.
As we enter a new decade it is time for national resolutions that are more ambitious. The main drivers of the global obesity epidemic are well known: excessive fat and sugar intake, lack of sleep, too much screen time, insufficient physical activity. What Are The Top 2 Weight Loss Tablets For Women. We need global measures across all age groups to address these elements and we need them now.