New guidance from a team of health experts around the world proposes expanding the definition of obesity beyond the popular body mass index (BMI) measure.

BMI, a widely used measure, has long been criticized for being too simplistic. It calculates obesity based only on height and weight, often misclassifying individuals. For example, athletes with high muscle mass may have a high BMI despite having normal fat levels.

However, this classification system assumes that weight alone is a reliable indicator of health, disregarding important variables such as body composition, muscle mass, and bone density. These assumptions are increasingly being challenged, particularly when it comes to diverse ethnic groups.

Annual exams are more crucial than ever as the prevalence of chronic diseases in the United States continues to climb. According to a study published by

A commission proposed a new definition of obesity focused on how excess fat affects the body, rather than assessing body mass index, that could change clinical care.

Theories suggest UTI and constipation are related, but one does not necessarily cause the other at this stage in research. Learn about treating both here.

Underweight children may experience different health issues. That is why it is important to include some weight gain foods for kids in their diet. You may know about the ideal weight your child should have by following the international BMI regulations.

An international team of doctors proposed a new way to define obesity that's not based solely on BMI. Here's what they suggest.

The condition is better measured by looking at factors like inflammation, insulin resistance, and glucose tolerance, according to the doctor. In some cases, using BMI can result in “muscular athletes” being labeled as obese, he noted, and people with “normal” BMI can sometimes have “harmful” levels of visceral (abdominal) fat.

People with higher body mass indexes say they're relieved by experts' new guidance to downplay the use of BMI in diagnosing people with weight problems or obesity.

Obesity is a chronic disease that occurs when a person has excess body fat, resulting in a high body mass index (BMI). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person ...

Racial discrimination, bullying, sexism and other forms of discrimination have also been shown to increase the risk for eating disorders. “We've had patients who have remained ill for years,” Richmond told Salon in a phone interview, saying the pandemic “was just an unbelievable psychic wound.”