Insights – Experts call for better tools to assess obesity

Controversial and somewhat counterintuitive evidence that BMI-based obesity may be protective against all cause mortality has prompted experts to call for urgent changes to the way obesity is measured. While obesity has been clearly shown to predispose to diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnoea, cancer and other diseases, recent studies have suggested that BMI obesity protects against death from all causes, as well as death due to chronic diseases suchas diabetes, heart failure, and stroke €“ the so-called €œobesity-mortality€ paradox Studies have further shown that some people with obese BMI have an improved metabolic profile and reduced cardiovascular risk. In a