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Normal weight obesity


Normal weight obesity is a condition of having normal body weight, but high body fat percentages with the same health risks of obesity.

Obesity represents a global public health problem and is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and reduced lifespan. The BMI-based classification of obesity do not adequately reflect the degree of adiposity so percentage body fat (PBF) is a better predictor of risk of obesity. New and more accurate formulas for epidemiological studies are of interest to the scientific community. The outdated BMI formula developed by Quetelet, is not an accurate measurement of adiposity but represents an imprecise mathematical estimate. Use of BMI is more simple for its convenience, safety, and minimal cost, but it does not take into account several important factors affecting adiposity. Since BMI does not measure body fat directly and not distinguishes fat from lean or bone mass, its use could be inaccurate. At the same BMI level either individuals with a large proportion of total body fat mass (TBFat)or subjects with a considerable muscle mass (weight-lifter) can be classified as "obese". Greater loss of muscle mass leading to sarcopenic obesity in women occurs increasingly with age. Moreover, men’s BMI does not consider the inverse relationship between muscular strength and mortality. These are the reasons why it is useful to re-evaluate how body fat is determined.

Percentage body fat (PBF), which is calculated as total body fat (TBFat) divided by total mass multiplied by 100, is a direct measure to know body fat and a better predictor of risk of obesity-related diseases than BMI.

In 1995, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined obesity based on a PBF >25% for men and PBF >35% for women. However, more accurate measures of adiposity uses levels of body fat >25% for men and >30% for women. De Lorenzo A. et al. ,revealed a false negative classification of obesity obtained through BMI. "Nearly 25% of normal weight individuals display abnormal metabolic profiles associated with obesitysistance and hsCRP are associated with PBF in a large population of BMI-defined normal weight individuals".


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