Diagnosis of Obesity: 2022 Update of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity
These new guidelines will help to identify and manage high-risk groups for obesity-related comorbidities among Korean adults and put greater emphasis on the use of morbidity as the basis for obesity and abdominal obesity diagnoses.
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity has consistently increased worldwide, and many obesity-related diseases are emerging as major health problems. Body mass index (BMI) is used to define obesity and is highly correlated with body fat mass. Moreover, obesity-related morbidities increase linearly with the increase in BMI. The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity defined overweight as a BMI ≥23 kg/m2 and obesity as a BMI ≥25 kg/m2, based on a significant increase in obesity-related diseases. A waist circumference of ≥90 cm in men and ≥85 cm in women are defined as abdominal obesity, which is also correlated with obesity-related diseases. These diagnostic criteria are the same as in the previous version; however, the updated guidelines put greater emphasis on the use of morbidity as the basis for obesity and abdominal obesity diagnoses. These new guidelines will help to identify and manage high-risk groups for obesity-related comorbidities among Korean adults.