Study finds racial bias in measuring of BMI, obesity rates

NEW YORK The rise in obesity in the United States over the last 20 years has been dramatic, but a new study indicates that existing statistics may not be accurate.

The study, published online April 6 in the British Journal of Nutrition, has found evidence of racial bias in the use of body mass index as a measurement of obesity, overstating the prevalence of obesity among blacks while understating it among Hispanic and Asian women.

The BMI uses “cut-scores” based on studies conducted long ago that used white adults, and the researchers in the study found that scores greater than 30 might more accurately reflect obesity for blacks, while lower scores might be a more suitable indicator for Hispanic, Asian and South Asian women. Under current measurements, a BMI of 30 indicates obesity for anyone of any race or sex.