Doctors worldwide should diagnose obesity differently, relying on broader criteria and taking into account when the condition causes ill-health, according to a new framework drawn up by experts and endorsed by 76 medical organizations internationally.

Experts say clinical obesity is more than a high BMI and instead is a disease in which excess body fat harms tissues, organs or doing daily activities.

A new Lancet report calls for redefining obesity labeling BMI alone as unreliable Learn about the proposed categories and a more precise approach to diagnosis and care

Obesity is typically assessed by measuring someone's body mass index, but now researchers are calling for a more nuanced approach that could help with treatment

New guidance from a team of health experts around the world proposes expanding the definition of obesity beyond the popular body mass index (BMI) measure.

The US will most likely remain a WHO member state but impose conditions, such increased contributions from other member states and oversight of mainland China.

Adults with a BMI of at least 30 are considered obese. BMI has been used widely since the 1990s after the World Health Organization (WHO) started using it as an official obesity screening measure. It is correlated to body fat percentage and related health ...

including the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, define adult obesity as a BMI of 30 or greater and overweight as a BMI between 25 and 29.9. Recently ...

Obesity is currently defined as a BMI of 30 or above in adults, according to the World Health Organization, affecting 1 in 8 adults. However, using BMI alone to aid in the diagnosis of obesity has ...

However, this classification system assumes that weight alone is a reliable indicator of health, disregarding important variables such as body composition, muscle mass, and bone density. These assumptions are increasingly being challenged, particularly when it comes to diverse ethnic groups.

As of March 2020, nearly 42% of US adults had obesity, with the report estimating that more than a billion people are living with obesity worldwide.

A Lancet Global Commission report has recommended a new, nuanced approach that looks at measures of body fat such as waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio in addition to body mass index or BMI to detect obesity.