Measures of Obesity

Obesity is characterised as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.
A common measure of obesity is body mass index (BMI), calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilogrammes) by their height (in metres) squared.
BMI provides a helpful indicator of whether an individual is the correct weight for their height. It is a simple non-invasive method that can be easily measured.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a BMI of 25 or more as overweight, and 30 or more as obese.
However, BMI is not a perfect measurement tool. It does not distinguish between mass due to fat and mass due to muscles, leading to inaccurate categorisation for athletes or individuals with high muscle mass.
Another measure of obesity is the waist-hip ratio. This involves measuring the ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips.
Men with a waist-hip ratio of 0.9 or greater and women with a waist-hip ratio of 0.85 or greater are considered to have a high risk of complications associated with obesity.
Body fat can also be measured directly using a variety of techniques such as skinfold thickness measurements, bioelectrical impedance, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
It’s crucial to remember that health risks don’t suddenly begin when a person crosses the threshold from overweight to obese. The risk gradually increases as a person gains more weight. Thus, any weight loss is beneficial.
The best way to identify if a person is suffering from obesity-related health issues is through a combination of BMI, waist-hip ratio, and medical history.