For most people, BMI might actually be a good indicator of excess body fat

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-04-18 01:00

International

Source: UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

A US study of around 2000 adults has found that 98% of people identified as having obesity based on body mass index (BMI), were confirmed as having had excess body fat. The use of BMI to diagnose obesity has become increasingly controversial, and recently, a group of experts recommended that doctors should look at other measures alongside BMI. The authors say that their data suggests there is a strong correlation between BMI and excess body fat, at least in US adults, and while certain types of people, such as athletes, may warrant further evaluation, these people make up a very small portion of the population.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Research JAMA, Web page Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends).

Journal/
conference: JAMA

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Johns Hopkins University, USA

Funder: Dr Selvin was supported by grant K24 HL152440 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Dr Fang was supported by grant K01 DK138273 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.