BMI Cut-off Values for Defining Obesity among Asians.

This article addresses the need for appropriate definition of obesity in China using body mass index (BMI). In addition to publications documenting the high body fat percentage and increased diseases risks at lower BMI levels among Singaporean Chinese, Malays and Indians, a number of publications from Asia have indicated similar findings using different methodologies. In the recent studies, the same trend is confirmed among children, adolescents and elderly Singaporeans. There are considerabe public health implications accompanying these findings.