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Lower BMI cut-off value to define obesity in Hong Kong Chinese: an analysis based on body fat assessment by bioelectrical impedance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Gary T.C. Ko ,
Joyce Tang ,
Juliana C.N. Chan ,
Rita Sung ,
Morris M. F. Wu ,
Hendena P.S. Wai  and
Raymond Chen
Gary T.C. Ko*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, 11, Chuen On Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong
Joyce Tang
Affiliation:
United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service, Hong Kong
Juliana C.N. Chan
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Rita Sung
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Morris M. F. Wu
Affiliation:
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong
Hendena P.S. Wai
Affiliation:
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong
Raymond Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, 11, Chuen On Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong
*
*Corresponding author: Gary T. C. Ko, fax (852) 2689-2785, email: gtc_ko@hotmail.com
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Abstract

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There is increasing evidence suggesting that the cut-off values for defining obesity used in the Western countries cannot be readily applied to Asians, who often have smaller body frames than Caucasians. We examined the BMI and body fat (BF) as measured by bioelectrical impedance in 5153 Hong Kong Chinese subjects. We aimed to assess the optimal BMI reflecting obesity as defined by abnormal BF in Hong Kong Chinese. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to assess the optimal BMI predicting BF at different levels. The mean age and SD OF THE 5153 SUBJECTS (3734 WOMEN AND 1419 MEN) WAS 51.5 (sd 16.3) years (range: 18.0–89.5 years, median: 50.7 years). Age-adjusted partial correlation (r) between BMI and BF in women and men were 0.899 (P<0.001) and 0.818 (P<0.001) respectively. Using ROC analysis, the BMI corresponding to the conventional upper limit of normal BF was 22.5–23.1 kg/m2, and the BMI corresponding to the 90 percentiles of BF was 25.4–26.1 kg/m2. Despite similar body fat contents, the BMI cut-off value used to define obesity in Hong Kong Chinese should be lower as compared to Caucasians. We suggest a BMI of 23 kg/m2 and 26 kg/m2 as the cut-off values to define overweight and obesity respectively in Hong Kong Chinese.

Keywords

ObesityBMIBody fatChinese
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 85 , Issue 2 , February 2001 , pp. 239 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2001

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