Criteria for definition of overweight in transition: background and recommendations for the United States
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Overweight and obesity are leading nutrition-related disorders of clinical and public health concern. Assessment and classification of these conditions are dependent on specific body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) cutoff points. US government agencies are making the transition to a revised BMI definition of overweight from that previously recommended for general use. The purpose of this article is to inform the broader medical and scientific communities of the transition that is underway in the United States to identify and classify overweight among adults by using BMI. Historical background on the use of BMI in a variety of applications, as reported in US federal government agency documents, provides an understanding of previous and current weight-for-height guidelines and the basis for arriving at them. On the basis of the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, US government agencies are moving toward the use of criteria for overweight and obesity that are consistent with current international standards. Clinicians, researchers, and journal editors should be aware of the transition toward a common definition of healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. To facilitate comparisons and reporting of data, others are encouraged to consider making this transition as well.
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The trends among children will influence future adult rates, because individuals who become overweight as children or adolescents are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults.
“The trends among children will influence future adult rates, because individuals who become overweight as children or adolescents are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults.”
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- Authors
- Kuczmarski, R. J., & Flegal, K. M.
- Affiliations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- ORCID
- Flegal, Katherine M
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2000-11
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1074-1081
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1938756201
- Cited by
- 705
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 55 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 18.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
- Keywords
- overweight, obesity, body mass index, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, healthy weight, obesity classification
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Body Height, Body Weight, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, National Institutes of Health (U.S.), Obesity, Reference Values, United States, World Health Organization, Body Mass Index, History, 20th Century
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