Researchers have found that individuals who are overweight but not obese may be eligible for weight loss injections following a study that pinpointed those at a higher risk of weight-related health issues.
The study, based on health data from 200,000 middle-aged individuals in the UK, revealed that some individuals classified as overweight by the standard body mass index (BMI) were actually at a greater risk of complications linked to obesity, such as cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
Currently, the majority of adults in the UK fall into the categories of overweight or obese according to BMI criteria. However, experts suggest a more comprehensive evaluation of their risk factors is necessary. The NHS currently limits appetite-suppressing injections to severely obese and ill patients.
Researchers from Cambridge University and Queen Mary University in London analyzed health data from participants in the UK Biobank research program, examining over 2,000 health and lifestyle factors. These factors ranged from basic measurements like size to age, gender, and blood markers.
Dr. Kamil Demircan from Queen Mary University of London stated that a significant number of individuals at high risk were found to be living with overweight rather than obesity. These individuals could be overlooked if only BMI is considered without taking other risk factors into account.
The body mass index (BMI), a measure calculated by dividing weight by height, is used to determine who should receive weight loss injections. However, it has faced criticism for not adequately assessing fat distribution. A recent study reported by the Mirror suggested that BMI might be misclassifying many individuals as overweight or obese.
A new tool developed by the researchers predicts individuals at high risk of obesity-related complications and could complement BMI as a screening method. The tool, named Obscore, utilized 20 commonly collected health measures to predict 18 different complications associated with obesity, showing strong predictive performance across these outcomes.
Co-author Professor Nick Wareham, co-director of the Institute of Metabolic Science at Cambridge, emphasized the importance of accurate resource allocation within the NHS for obesity therapies. He highlighted the need for fair mechanisms to identify individuals with the highest clinical need for such treatments.
Recent findings from a study indicated that BMI misclassified 34% of individuals as obese and 53% as overweight. Comparatively, a gold-standard measure that considered body fat distribution, muscle, bone, and age provided more accurate categorizations. Extrapolating from an Italian study, it is estimated that around five million Britons may have been incorrectly labeled as obese.
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