International experts are urging healthcare professionals to move beyond relying solely on Body Mass Index (BMI) for diagnosing obesity. They advocate for additional assessments like waist circumference measurements and considering 18 specific health problems associated with excess body fat. The shift aims to ensure more accurate diagnoses and improve access to appropriate treatments.
Doctors and health researchers say that relying solely on a person's body Mass Index to diagnose obesity is unreliable.
" extra fat around the middle...That's where all your vital organs are, pushing up on your heart and your lungs," Monash University professor Wendy Brown said.Relying on BMI also means obesity could be underdiagnosed. The issues include breathlessness and wheezing, sleep apnoea, severe knee or hip pain and heart failure.
OBESITY BMI DIAGNOSIS HEALTH PROBLEMS TREATMENT
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Guidelines Redefine Obesity: 'Clinical' and 'Pre-Clinical' Categories ProposedGlobal health leaders propose a 'dramatic overhaul' of how doctors view obesity, introducing new categories 'clinical obesity' and 'pre-clinical obesity' based on health impact rather than solely BMI. The new guidelines aim to address the ongoing debate about obesity as a disease and its risk factors.
Read more »
Reframing Obesity: A New Approach to Diagnosis and ManagementA new report published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal proposes a more accurate and comprehensive approach to diagnosing and managing obesity. The report challenges the reliance on BMI as the sole indicator of obesity and advocates for incorporating additional measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist-to-height ratio. It also suggests reclassifying obesity into clinical and pre-clinical categories to improve patient management strategies.
Read more »
Is it time to scrap the BMI?There is close scrutiny of the use of BMI, or Body Mass Index, as a measure of an individual's health.
Read more »
Could a new definition change the way we think about obesity?A group of international and Australian experts say current approaches are too reliant on BMI.
Read more »
Lifestyle vs. Drugs: Two Paths to Tackle America's Obesity CrisisA debate rages over the best approach to combatting America's obesity epidemic: lifestyle changes or new pharmaceutical interventions. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a potential health secretary, advocates for lifestyle changes, while Elon Musk, an advisor to the president-elect, champions affordable GLP-1 inhibitors.
Read more »
Lifestyle Changes vs. Obesity Drugs: A Debate IgnitesThe incoming US administration faces a debate about tackling the obesity epidemic. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advocates for lifestyle changes, while Elon Musk champions new weight-loss drugs. This highlights the ongoing question: can lifestyle changes alone solve the obesity problem, or do we need pharmaceutical interventions?
Read more »