Withings Analysis Reveals Millions May Be Misclassified as Overweight or Obese

What You Should Know: 

– Withings, a pioneer in connected health, announced findings from a groundbreaking analysis of body composition data, challenging the traditional reliance on Body Mass Index (BMI) for assessing obesity. 

– The study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, which analyzed data from 3.4 million anonymized Withings scale users, revealed that 38.2% of individuals classified as overweight or obese based on BMI would be reclassified under newly proposed criteria that prioritize body composition and metabolic health. Withings’ body composition scales, which have been collecting data since 2009, provide a valuable tool for measuring body fat and other metrics.

The Limitations of BMI

BMI, a simple calculation of weight divided by height, has been the primary tool for assessing obesity. However, it fails to account for crucial factors like fat distribution, muscle mass, and metabolic health, leading to misclassification and potential health consequences. 

Key findings of the report include: 

BMI Misclassification: 38.2% of individuals labeled overweight or obese by BMI would be reclassified under new criteria.

Hidden Health Risks: 38.4% of those considered “overweight” by BMI have unhealthy fat levels, indicating potential organ dysfunction and metabolic disease risk.

Overlooked Obesity: 2% of individuals with a “normal” BMI have high body fat percentages, highlighting hidden metabolic risks.

Unnecessary Obesity Label: 1.6% of those classified as “obese” by BMI have low health risks based on body composition analysis.

A More Precise Framework

The new criteria, proposed by an international commission in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, advocate for a more nuanced approach that considers:

• Fat distribution: Focuses on visceral fat (fat around organs) as a key indicator of health risk.
• Metabolic health: Assesses organ function and metabolic markers to determine overall health status.

“Relying solely on BMI oversimplifies health assessments, leading to misjudgments, treatment disparities, and weight-related stigma,” stated Aline Criton, Chief Clinical and Regulatory Affairs Officer at Withings. “Our findings highlight the significant impact of adopting a more reliable definition of obesity. With this new definition, over a third of our users would be reclassified, profoundly influencing clinical and lifestyle decisions.”