This change aims to address limitations of the old BMI system, which failed to distinguish between fat and muscle mass or accurately assess health risks.

Medical experts have proposed this new definition of obesity, which could significantly alter how obesity is classified.

The shift towards using anthropometric measures presents new opportunities for the fitness industry, as increased obesity diagnoses and the use of weight-loss medications are expected to boost the gym and fitness studio markets in the US, projected to grow by $6.8 billion.

The increase in obesity prevalence under the new criteria is more pronounced among men and Asian populations, indicating demographic variations in classification.

Over 76 organizations have already adopted these new guidelines, but more research is needed to understand the causes and develop effective treatments for anthropometric-only obesity, which was previously under-recognized.

A new, more comprehensive definition of obesity now includes measures like waist circumference and body fat scans, revealing that nearly 70% of US adults would be classified as obese—substantially higher than the traditional BMI estimate of 43%.

This revised classification distinguishes between clinical obesity, which is linked to health issues, and pre-clinical obesity, which shows no immediate health signs, potentially enabling earlier intervention.

Importantly, individuals with anthropometric-only obesity—those not classified as obese by BMI—are found to have higher risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality, emphasizing the significance of fat distribution in health risk assessments.

Experts believe adopting this new definition could enhance risk stratification and targeted treatments, although it has yet to be officially adopted and requires further research.