Changing guards: time to move beyond Body Mass Index for population monitoring of excess adiposity

Tanamas, S. K., Lean, M. E. J. , Combet, E. , Vlassopoulos, A., Zimmet, P. Z. and Peeters, A. (2016) Changing guards: time to move beyond Body Mass Index for population monitoring of excess adiposity. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 109(7), pp. 443-446. (doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcv201) (PMID:26527773)

Abstract

With the obesity epidemic, and the effects of aging populations, human phenotypes have changed over two generations, possibly more dramatically than in other species previously. As obesity is an important and growing hazard for population health, we recommend a systematic evaluation of the optimal measure(s) for population-level excess body fat. Ideal measure(s) for monitoring body composition and obesity should be simple, as accurate and sensitive as possible, and provide good categorisation of related health risks. Combinations of anthropometric markers or predictive equations may facilitate better use of anthropometric data than single measures to estimate body composition for populations. Here we provide new evidence that increasing proportions of aging populations are at high health-risk according to waist circumference, but not body mass index (BMI), so continued use of BMI as the principal population-level measure substantially underestimates the health-burden from excess adiposity.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Lean, Professor Michael and Combet Aspray, Professor Emilie and Vlassopoulos, Dr Antonis
• Authors: Tanamas, S. K., Lean, M. E. J., Combet, E., Vlassopoulos, A., Zimmet, P. Z., and Peeters, A.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing; University Services > Learning and Teaching Services Division
• Journal Name: QJM: An International Journal of Medicine
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 1460-2725
• ISSN (Online): 1460-2393
• Published Online: 01 November 2015
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 The Author
• First Published: First published in QJM: An International Journal of Medicine 109(7): 443-446
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher