[Criteria for the classification of obesity].
Obesity is defined as a condition of increased adipose tissue mass. Although it is quite clear that many health complications are associated with severe obesity, it is very difficult to measure adipose tissue and precise quantification of the amount needed to increase risk to health. The cutoff between normality and obesity is still the subject of debate. For now, the body mass index (BMI) is used as index of obesity, but the curves describing the relationship with morbidity and mortality are U or J-shapes. As the definition of obesity for medical purpose should take into account the risk for associated diseases, it is very difficult to establish the bordelines for obesity with BMI as basis. In this paper the authors also pointed out the recent recognition that the distribution of fat may be a more important risk factor than the total adipose tissue mass. The waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR) is recommended as an index of fat distribution, especially abdominally located. The relationship between disease risk and WHR is linear or exponential, what means that it is easier to establish borderlines of medical significance with WHR as baseline. It can be concluded that definition of obesity for medical purposes should take into account the risk for NIDDM, CVD and some carcinomas. Therefore, WHR should be included in the combination with BMI as it has higher discriminative power for diseases and mortality rate.
Jorga
J
J
Pecelj-Gec
M
M
D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000145:classification*