Study of 844,108 adults finds obesity framework using body measurements beyond BMI better identified health risks
A Nature study of four international cohorts found that combining BMI with waist measurements changed obesity classifications and better tracked mortality risk than BMI alone.
Researchers analyzed data from 844,108 adults in China, the United Kingdom, the United States and Spain to evaluate a proposed framework that distinguishes clinical from preclinical obesity.
The study found that using waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio alongside BMI both reclassified some participants and showed clearer associations with mortality. The findings evaluate a diagnostic framework; they do not set clinical policy.