WHO revises obesity standards for Asians

In view of the fact that the fat content of Asian people is generally higher than that of Westerners of the same weight, which may cause deviations in the original weight measurement standards, the World Health Organization has recently adjusted and set stricter obesity standards for Asians.

Many people are very concerned about the issue of weight and worry about whether they are too fat and affect their appearance. However, in addition to considering appearance, weight is also closely related to physical health.

In view of past medical surveys that the fat content of Asians is much higher than that of Westerners of the same weight, making Asians more likely than Westerners to suffer from hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc. at the same weight, the World Health Organization, which is currently holding a meeting in Singapore to discuss the body mass index of Asians, decided to set more stringent weight standards for Asians.

According to the calculation formula of the World Health Organization, dividing the weight by the square of the height is equal to the body mass index. The unit of weight is kilograms and the unit of height is meters. If a person weighs 50 kilograms and is 160 centimeters tall, then his body mass index is 19.5. According to the new regulations, the normal range of body mass index for Asians has been reduced from 20 - 24.9 in the past to 18.5 - 23; as long as it exceeds 23, it is considered an unhealthy level and will endanger health.

In addition, experts also said that even if the weight is within the normal range, it is unhealthy to accumulate too much fat in the waist and abdomen, so people have to consider it comprehensively based on personal fat index and waist circumference. (Internship Editor: Zheng Yanjun)