May vary the term “normal”, “overweight” and “obesity”, every country and every culture has its own criteria, the WHO has therefore a measurement / classification of obesity, which is independent of cultural bias established.
The method is very useful and widely used to measure the level of obesity is one. BMI (Body Mass Index), which are by dividing weight (in kilograms) by the square of height (in meters) of BMI values obtained do not depend on age and gender.
BMI is a requirement not be used for:
- Children who put in their infancy
- Pregnant women
- People who are very muscular, like athletes
Body mass index can be used to specify the amount that a person can be identified at risk of certain diseases due to their weight. Somebody said to be overweight and require treatment if you have a BMI over 30, ie the person is overweight, 20%.
Classification of BMI according to WHO (1998)
• Category Body Mass Index (kg/m2), comorbidities, risk
• Low weight <18.5 kg/m2 lower (but risk of other clinical problems)
• Limit the normal average of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2
• Overweight:> 25
• Pre-obese 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2 increase
• Obesity, I 30,0 – Middle 34.9kg/m2
• Obesity 35.0 to 39.9 kg/m2 II hazardous
• Obesity III> 40.0 kg/m2 dangerous
Experts consider the establishment of a separate classification of the BMI for Asian populations. The results of a study in Singapore showed that Singapore’s population have a BMI of 27-28, the same thing with fat white men with a BMI of 30. In the Indians, the increase in BMI increase 22 to 24, the prevalence of DM is 2 times, and this increased to three times the prevalence in people with a BMI of 28.
Weight of the proposed classification based on BMI
The adult Asian population (IOTF, WHO, 2000)
The categories of body mass index (kg/m2) Risk of comorbidities
Underweight <18.5 kg/m2 lower (but risk of other clinical problems)
Normal range 18.5 to 22.9 kg/m2 half
Overweight:> 23
At the risk of rising from 23.0 to 24.9 kg/m2
I am obese 25.0 – Middle 29.9kg/m2
Obese II> 30.0 kg/m2 dangerous
