Millions of people may be taking weight-loss jabs unnecessarily as individuals are being “over diagnosed” with obesity, according to a landmark report from a Lancet Commission composed of more than 50 global experts. These leading medics emphasize that the common Body Mass Index (BMI) score lacks the necessary nuance to effectively measure obesity, advocating for more comprehensive assessments before labeling someone as obese.
The commission warns that relying solely on BMI can significantly misrepresent the number of people classified as obese. Criticism has long surrounded BMI, particularly as some active individuals may fall into the obese category despite exhibiting no health issues related to their weight. Currently, the UK defines obesity as having a BMI of at least 30, or 27.5 for specific ethnic minority groups.
During a journalist briefing, the commission stated that a generalized definition misses the complexity of individual health conditions, leading to unnecessary interventions such as surgery, devices, and pharmaceuticals.
With the NHS beginning to roll out weight-loss jabs for qualifying obese patients after revealing the alarming figures on obesity-related costs, which could reach over £9 billion annually by 2050, the importance of an accurate classification system has increased.
Francesco Rubino, chair of bariatric and metabolic surgery at King’s College London and chair of the commission, highlighted the changing landscape of obesity treatment options. He suggested that due to advancements in treatment possibilities, the need for precise definitions and classifications is more critical than ever.
While BMI can be a useful indicator, the commission insists on the need to move beyond it to robustly assess excess body fat. They propose that BMI should be used only as a surrogate measure of health risk, supplemented by other assessments such as waist-to-hip or waist-to-height ratios.
The proposed system would create two new diagnostic categories for obesity: clinical obesity, classified as a chronic systemic illness where excess fat can lead to severe health complications, and pre-clinical obesity, which denotes a state of excess fat with variable health risks but no current illness present.
Rubino indicated that this refined classification could potentially alter the obesity status of many individuals currently classified as obese, improving the accuracy of diagnoses across the healthcare system.
The commission’s recommendations call for a urgent overhaul in obesity classification practices and highlight the need for the health system to adapt to rising obesity rates worldwide.
As debates continue regarding whether obesity should be classified as an illness, these new definitions aim to clarify the conversation surrounding the condition, a crucial step in addressing the healthcare challenges it presents.
Source: iNews
