title: Implications of the revised consensus body mass indices for asian indians on clinical obstetric practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The body mass index (BMI) categories for Asian Indians has been revised based on consensus guidelines. The revised guidelines categorize overweight as a BMI of 23.0 - 24.9 and obesity as a BMI≥25.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the change in prevalence of overweight and obese pregnant women, and maternal and fetal associations with overweight and obese pregnant women classified using the revised consensus guidelines for BMI in Asian Indians.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of case records of pregnant women between January 2010 and December 2012 at a tertiary care institute in India. BMI was classified using the revised consensus guidelines for Asian Indians and the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The strength and direction of associations with maternal and fetal outcomes was explored with a multivariate regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of obesity increased from 11.81% with the WHO criteria to 43.11% with the revised consensus guidelines and led to the re-classification of 1,345 (18.47%) pregnant women from a low risk category to a high risk category.Gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes and large for gestational age babies was associated with overweight or obesity (both Indian and WHO guidelines). Obesity (both Indian and WHO guidelines) was also significantly associated with caesarean sections (adjusted OR 1.23 and 1.51 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the revised guidelines led to a larger classification of high risk Asian Indian pregnant women. Retention of adverse associations of overweight and obesity support adoption of the revised guidelines in obstetric management of Asian Indians.
authors.affiliation: Head, Department of Obstetrics, Fernandez Hospital , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: Nuzhat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Consultant, Department of Obstetrics, Fernandez Hospital , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: Sailaja Devi
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kallur
authors.affiliation: Head, Woman and Child Health Research Unit, Fernandez Hospital , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: Praveen Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Nirmalan
keywords: Body mass index; Guidelines; Obesity; Overweight; Pregnancy