In A Nutshell
- Adding waist size to BMI raises U.S. obesity rates from 42.9% to 68.6%, according to a major JAMA Network Open study.
- One in four adults have “hidden” belly-fat obesity despite a normal BMI.
- Older adults and Asian participants saw the biggest increase in obesity classification.
- The new definition could change who qualifies for treatment and reshape healthcare policy.
BOSTON — A major shift in how doctors define obesity could fundamentally reshape medical practice, according to groundbreaking research analyzing health data from over 300,000 Americans.
Scientists found that adopting a new obesity framework endorsed by 76 professional medical organizations increased obesity rates from 42.9% to 68.6% among study participants. This dramatic jump stems from including people who have dangerous belly fat despite maintaining what doctors previously considered a healthy weight.
Published in JAMA Network Open, the study analyzed data from the All of Us research program and represents the first large-scale examination of how new obesity guidelines would affect healthcare. The research tracked participants for four years to document real health outcomes, not just theoretical classifications.
https://studyfinds.org/overnight-millions-more-americans-obesity-rate-belly-fat/