In another article on this website, we noted that based on a person’s BMI (kg/m²), the person is put in the following categories (American Diabetes Association, 2025; Centers for Disease Control):
– BMI < 18.5 ⇒ Underweight
– BMI 18.5 to 24.9 ⇒ Normal or healthy weight
– BMI 25 to 29.9 ⇒ Overweight
– BMI > 30 ⇒ Obesity
The category of Obesity is subclassified as follows (American Diabetes Association, 2025; Centers for Disease Control):
– A BMI of 30 to 34.9 ⇒ Class I Obesity
– A BMI of 35 to 39.9 ⇒ Class II Obesity
– A BMI of 40 or more ⇒ Class III Obesity
These BMI cut-offs may not be appropriate for some ethnic groups
The BMI numbers 25 and 30 are the most important for us to remember because:
– A BMI of 25 or more puts the person in the Overweight category
– A BMI of 30 or more puts the person in the category of Obesity
But these BMI cut-offs, above which a person is diagnosed as having overweight or obesity, were derived mainly from studies of Caucasian populations. Several influential health organizations and practice guidelines have recommended that different BMI cutoffs (NOT 25 and 30) for identifying overweight and obesity be used in some ethnic groups.
Let’s look at WHY this is important, WHAT alternative BMI cut-offs are recommended, and to WHOM do these recommendations apply.
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