More Obese Women in the US Than Previously Thought?

Posted By elissa on Apr 22, 2010 | 2 comments

Maybe… if a new analysis based on body fat percentage rather than BMI holds up.

U.S. guidelines determine who is obese based on body-mass index, a measurement of whether a person’s height and weight are proportional. The researchers found that about half the women of reproductive age considered obese under World Health Organization guidelines — which use body-fat analysis instead — were not obese under federal guidelines.

Under the international guidelines, about half of white women and more than two-thirds of Latino women are considered obese.

“It is especially important to accurately assess obesity in reproductive-age women, as they are more likely to be obese than similarly aged men,” study author Dr. Mahbubur Rahman, an assistant professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said in a news release from the school. “These women are at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other obesity-related health conditions, and may forgo or be overlooked for needed tests and treatments.”

The study is here. Apparently, the researchers used DEXA scans to measure body fat – so the numbers are about as “real” as it’s possible to get. And it was no small study – 555 women between the ages of 20 – 33 were analyzed.

I’m sure this assessment will be controversial, as it will likely tag certain women as “obese” who don’t look that way. But – in my opinion –  body fat percentage is a much more relevant figure than BMI.  It’s a standard that’s been in use in bodybuilding circles for years – it’s high time for it to be mainstreamed.

While a similar assessment has not – to my knowledge – been performed on men, I wouldn’t be surprised to see similar results.