There is a growing call among weight loss specialists to overhaul the way obesity is currently diagnosed.
The long used Body Mass Index (BMI), which is the tool that health care providers rely on to determine body fat by using height and weight measurements, is coming under question for being too simplistic. at the Center for Weight Loss and Metabolic Health
Here’s how the the BMI works – it calculates a number based on a formula – weight in pounds divided by height in inches – then uses that number to categorize an individual’s weight status:
- Underweight: BMI less than 18.5
- Normal weight: BMI 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight: BMI 25 to 29.9
- Obese: BMI 30 or greater
Goodbye BMI?
Because the BMI doesn’t account for factors like age, sex, ethnicity, and bone structure – or differentiate between muscle mass and fat mass – among other things – some are advocating for a shift away from solely using this metric. One proposed new approach would take into account other measurements, such as waist circumference, as well as health problems that may be tied to being overweight.
“While the BMI isn’t perfect, discarding it entirely would be premature,” says Hans Schmidt, M.D. FACS, chief of Bariatric Surgery and co-director for the Center for Weight Loss and Metabolic Health at Hackensack University Medical Center.
“I also think it would jeopardize decades of valuable research and public health initiatives built around this widely understood, readily accessible, and cost-effective screening tool.”
Dr. Schmidt advocates engaging in a multi-faceted approach that incorporates BMI as an initial screening tool, while also using other metrics for a more comprehensive and personalized assessment of obesity and its related health risks.
Demand for GLP-1 Done?
What else can we expect for weight loss in 2025? After a year that saw an exploding demand for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, leading to strained supply chains and increased costs – even for those with insurance – some U.S. lawmakers are now calling for expanded access to other obesity treatment options such as intensive behavioral therapy (IBT), comprehensive nutritional and mental health treatment, along with anti-obesity medications.
Dr. Schmidt says because obesity is such a complex disease, there is no “one size fits all” approach to effective management. It requires individualized strategies addressing specific contributing factors for each person. This may help to explain why an estimated 50-75% of users who use weight loss drugs alone, stop taking them within a year.
Another Jab at Weight Gain?
In another new development – this new year – a study published last week in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity — found mice injected with a micro-organism from cow’s milk and soil were essentially immune to the weight gain typically caused by a high-fat, high-sugar diet.
“This study suggests that exposure to beneficial bacteria may help to protect us against some of the negative health outcomes of a poor diet,” explains Dr. Schmidt, but he cautions that a lot more research needs to be done. “Further study is required to understand how these micro-organisms work and if they can actually prevent weight gain in humans.”
One thing is for sure, ongoing research and development in this field in 2025 will offer hope for more effective and personalized weight management strategies in the near future, according to HMH..