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Overweight and obesity thresholds may be misleading for Asian populations (p 157)
January 07, 2004Internationally recognised body-mass index (BMI) cut-off points for overweight and obesity may not be appropriate for some Asian populations, conclude authors of an article in this week's issue of THE LANCET.
A WHO expert consultation, chaired by Professor Shiriki Kumanyika from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA, discussed the merits of BMI as an indicator of health outcomes across different ethnic populations. The increased body-fat proportions of some Asian populations suggest that a lower BMI (22-25 kg/m2) may be a more appropriate upper cut-off point; values above this adjusted threshold would indicate increased risk of adverse health outcomes.
The consultation concluded that the proportion of Asian people with a high risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is substantial at BMIs lower than the existing WHO cut-off point for overweight ( *25 kg/m2 ). However, the authors discuss how available data do not necessarily indicate a clear BMI cut-off point for all Asians for overweight or obesity. The cut-off point for observed risk varies from 22 kg/m2 to 25 kg/m2 in different Asian populations; for high risk it varies from 26 kg/m2 to 31 kg/m2. No attempt was made, therefore, to redefine cut-off points for each population separately.
The consultation also agreed that the WHO BMI cut-off points - * 25 kg/m2 (overweight), 25-29.9 kg/m2 (pre-obese), * 30 kg/m2 (obesity), 30- 34.9 kg/m2 (obese class I), 35-39.9 kg/m2 (obese class II), * 40 kg/m2 (obese class III) - should be retained as international classifications. However, the consultation identified potential intermediate public-health action points (23.0, 27.5, 32.5, and 37.5 kg/m2) along the continuum of BMI, and proposed methods by which countries could make decisions about the definitions of increased risk for their population.
Lancet
Obesity Current Events and Obesity News RSSResearch in twins defines shared features of the human gut microbial communities: variations linked to obesity
Trillions of microbes make their home in the gut, where they help to break down and extract energy and nutrients from the food we eat. Yet, scientists have understood little about how this distinctive mix of microbes varies from one individual to the next.
Pediatric obesity may alter thyroid function and structure
In addition to its strong associations with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, pediatric obesity may induce alterations in thyroid function and structure, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Cardiovascular disease causing increasing inequity between rich and poor
A new paper released today by The George Institute for International Health is warning a cardiovascular disease based epidemic is gaining pace among many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), exemplified at its worst in the world's largest populated countries - China and India.
Bariatric surgery may resolve liver disease
Obesity is a growing epidemic in the U.S. with a significant increase in prevalence from 15 percent to 32.9 percent from 1980 to 2004. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging problem related to the obesity epidemic, becoming one of the most common causes of liver disease in the nation.
Persistent pollutant may promote obesity
Tributyltin, a ubiquitous pollutant that has a potent effect on gene activity, could be promoting obesity, according to an article in the December issue of BioScience.
Adiponectin is a metabolic link between obesity and bone mineral density
Researchers at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Toronto, Canada, have discovered that adiponectin, a protein secreted from adipocytes, is a metabolic link that can explain, in part, the known positive relationship between obesity and both bone mineral density and reduced susceptibility to fractures.
Sealing off portion of intestinal lining treats obesity, resolves diabetes in animal model
Lining the upper portion of the small intestine with an impermeable sleeve led to both weight loss and restoration of normal glucose metabolism in an animal model of obesity-induced diabetes.
Why women should eat less, move more and consider wearing transdermal HRT patches during menopause
Weight and appetite experts from around the world met at a conference in Bangkok earlier this year to discuss sex differences in obesity. One line of discussion looked at factors leading to women's weight gain during menopause, and how it might be avoided.
Heart patients are often not treated in accordance with guidelines
Many patients with cardiovascular disease are not given adequate drug therapy. This is the result of an international study. In the current edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Uwe Zeimer et al. present the German results of this prospective, one-year survey.
Scripps research team defines new painkilling chemical pathway
Marijuana kills pain by activating a set of proteins known as cannabinoid receptors, which can also regulate appetite, inflammation, and memory.
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