Asians are particularly vulnerable to weight-related health risks, leading medical experts to recommend that the criteria for overweight and obesity be adjusted for this group. Such adjustment could raise the number of overweight and obese people to 1.7 billion worldwide, a figure that is 50 percent higher than current estimates.

According to researchers, the global standard for measuring overweight and obesity, the Body Mass Index (BMI), is based on western criteria. A BMI, which takes height and weight into account, of 23 to 24 is considered normal in the west.

However, Asians have shown a risk of obesity-related diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes if their BMI is over 23.

Experts suggest that lowering the BMI scale for Asians will raise doctors’ awareness of potential risks and make it more likely that they will advise patients to reduce their weight.

Obesity is defined as a BMI of more than 30, however the area of the body where excess fat accumulates is important. The accumulation of fat in the stomach area, known as abdominal obesity, poses more health risks than fat in the thighs and legs. Abdominal obesity is a particular problem in Asia.

Experts warned that the increasing obesity epidemic, which is related to health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and psychological problems, could overtake that of tobacco.

Reuters Health March 17 2003

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

There are currently 6.3 billion people in the world, so roughly 27 percent of the world population is overweight. While that calculates out to 1.7 billion people, it would be 4.2 billion people if the world had the same two-thirds percentage of overweight and obesity as the United States does. The good news is that overweight and obesity are nearly 100 percent preventable by following my eating plan, available in summary in the nutrition plan on this site, and available in a comprehensive step-by-step format in my first major book, The No-Grain Diet. Exercising and addressing emotional stresses, also comprehensivley detailed in The No-Grain Diet book and discussed on my website, are also important factors in weight loss. Although often overlooked, emotional health is essential to your physical well-being. No matter how devoted you are to a healthy lifestyle, it is nearly impossible to reach your goals if emotional barriers stand in your way. EFT, which is an essential part of my No-Grain Diet book, uses a combination of kinetic energy input and positive affirmations to release you of your emotional "blocks." You can download my 25-page EFT manual free of charge to learn more about this technique. If you seek more in-depth knowledge of the EFT technique, my EFT series is available on DVD or VHS. The series will teach you how to relieve most emotional traumas, abolish phobias, overcome food cravings and eliminate or greatly reduce physical pain. And again, EFT is also discussed extensively in my new book, The No-Grain Diet.