New research suggests a BMI of 27 is obese, but that's still not accurate enough, says expert

May 30, 2024 - PRLog -- A controversial new Italian study has found that measuring body fat levels rather than our body mass index (BMI) gives a truer picture of who is obese.

Currently, a BMI of up to 25 for an adult is considered healthy, while up to 29 is overweight and 30 or above is considered obese. However, the researchers found this does not take into account changes in body composition where we lose muscle and gain fat as we get older, leading to considerably more body fat with no gain in weight.

To allow for this shift, the study, published originally in the journal Nutrients, found that a BMI of 27 should be used to define obesity in future.

However, a leading expert says that simply using a broad body fat measure, even one more accurate than the traditional BMI reading, still does not give a true picture of the stress on people's hearts or their overall health in relation to their weight.

Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), Clinical Lead at London Medical Laboratory, says: 'It's certainly high time that a more meaningful instant snapshot of how our weight might be impacting our health was introduced. The traditional BMI measure of dividing an adult's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres is quick and easy, and reducing the obesity measure to 27 may give a better picture of our overall likely weight and health balance, but the fact is that technology has moved on.

'Today, a simple and quick finger-prick blood test can swiftly analyse some of the most important risks to our heart health. One rapid test will measure the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes and generalised inflammation, which all dramatically increase the potential of future heart attacks.

'A heart health finger-prick blood test includes a full cholesterol profile, measures HbA1c to determine if someone has diabetes or is pre-diabetic and shows our CRP (C-reactive protein) level. This high sensitivity CRP level measure indicates the presence of inflammation.

With the arrival of new blood testing technology, BMI ought to be taken as a reading in conjunction with a heart health test. For example, London Medical Laboratory's Heart Health Profile test can be taken at home through the post, or at one of the many drop-in clinics that offer these tests across London and nationwide in over 120 selected pharmacies and health stores. For full details see: https://www.londonmedicallaboratory.com/product/heart-health-profile