Lower BMI threshold for obesity needed in over-40s, say researchers
Their study found that the current one-size-fits-all cut-off of ≥30kg/m² may be underestimating obesity rates.
A lower BMI threshold of ≥27kg/m² may better identify obesity in patients over 40 than the accepted cut-off of ≥30kg/m², Italian researchers have argued at the 2024 European Congress on Obesity.
They said changes in body composition with ageing — namely, increased body fat and decreased lean mass — meant the current one-size-fits-all cut-off of ≥30kg/m² could underestimate obesity rates.
