Obesity researchers are discarding traditional BMI measurements as they reveal that it is possible to be overweight and still in good physical shape.
Research has discovered that millions of Britons who have been informed that they are overweight may actually be healthy, according to scientists.
They have suggested a "radical overhaul" of how obesity is diagnosed and treated in order to prevent misguided diagnoses.
A body mass index (BMI) score is not "nuanced" enough to measure obesity and more assessments are needed before someone is declared obese, the new Lancet Commission of more than 50 experts from across the globe concludes.
, they say.
The groundbreaking model might see individuals being categorized into two new subtypes in order to differentiate between those who are overweight yet perfectly healthy, known as 'pre-clinical obesity,' and those who genuinely have 'clinical obesity,' indicating an underlying health issue.
Doctors were instructed yesterday to use the new diagnostic guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Prior to this, they were already stopped from relying solely on BMI.
Under the guidance of some physicians, certain patients who are overweight may not be informed about the need to lose weight.
The dean of King's College London's medical school said the lines surrounding obesity are currently "blurred".
He said: 'Some individuals who are currently classified as having obesity based on BMI might engage in sports, be very active, and have robust bones - labeling them as having a disease based solely on BMI would clearly be an overdiagnosis.
'This commission has been endeavoring to address a more precise method of diagnosing and categorizing obesity initially.'
No system, including the NHS, has yet employed these methods. I believe that everyone has been using the traditional classification for at least forty years.
'However, we are calling for a fundamental shift, a significant change, due to the fact that in a world where approximately one billion people are now categorized as obese, and an even larger number is projected to follow suit, not a single nation possesses the financial resources to tolerate any degree of inaccuracy in obesity diagnoses.'
Obesity incurs a financial burden of approximately £6 billion annually for the National Health Service, with forecasts suggesting it will increase to over £9.7 billion annually by 2050.
About a quarter of adults and nearly one in ten children have become obese by the time they reach secondary school, according to the latest Health Survey for England.
However, the current measurement methods place too much emphasis on BMI, resulting in individuals who are overweight but healthy being advised to lose weight unnecessarily, while others may remain undetected.
(The text doesn't require paraphrasing in this case as it is written in English)
What we're proposing is that it's not only a health risk; for some, it actually constitutes an illness that requires diagnosis.
And do you think it makes sense to understand the level of risk involved before deciding on the best course of action?
If we were to apply the exact same treatment to every person with obesity - we have a billion people suffering from obesity, and you'd need to provide the same treatment to all of them.
This is unlikely to be economically sustainable, but more importantly, it won't meet the specific needs of each individual, as personalized care is what makes interventions effective and cost-effective.
'We must not tolerate an unclear picture of obesity.'
The new guidelines have been backed by a variety of organizations, among them the Royal College of Physicians
Dr Kath McCullough, a special adviser at the Royal College of Physicians, stated: 'For far too long, we've relied on BMI as a straightforward measurement of obesity, which has frequently distorted the condition's true nature and fails to comprehensively take into account the manner in which excess body fat influences an individual's health.
The commission's differentiation between pre-clinical and clinical obesity marks a significant advancement, underscoring the importance of early detection and intervention, as well as the need for suitable care for those already suffering from severe health consequences.
Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, stated: ‘Our first priority should be to provide support for those living with excess weight, as opposed to merely focusing on how it is measured.
“Currently, access to effective obesity treatment is largely out of reach for those who require it the most, the individuals with the highest degrees of excessive weight, whereas our prevention strategies fall short.”
The NHS has begun rolling out weight loss injections for individuals who meet specific requirements.
Dr. Louise Baur, chair of child and adolescent health at the University of Sydney, said: "I'm particularly pleased that height and weight are being measured in children and young people, as this is a reliable indicator of linear growth, and can also detect issues with failure to thrive, overweight, and multiple other conditions."
If pediatricians stop monitoring height and weight, I think that would be almost the end of pediatric care - growth is an essential aspect of childhood, and irregularities in growth are actually a sign of potential health issues.
Commenting on the commission, Dr. Kath McCullough, special advisor on obesity at the Royal College of Physicians, stated, 'For far too long, we have relied on BMI as a straightforward measure of obesity, which has frequently misrepresented the condition and fails to fully reflect the impact excess body fat has on a person's health.'
This clarification, as per the commission, separates pre-criteria clinical conditions from actual clinical obesity.
A spokesperson for NHS England stated: 'Nice (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has released updated guidance on identifying, evaluating, treating, and delivering personalized care for individuals who are overweight or living with obesity.
'Nice independently assesses the evidence and NHS England acts in accordance with the issued guidelines.'
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