Recently the criterion of Body Mass Index (BMI), which classifies obese and lean people by height and weight, has come into daily use. However, the criteria of the Ministry of Health and Welfare have also been used in medical examinations at Osaka health centers.
To investigate whether the Ministry of Health and Welfare criteria are appropriate, we compared the incidence of obesity in medical examinations determined variously according to the criteria of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Body Mass Index and Matsuki's method.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare criteria produce more thin and less obese people because the standard weight applied differs by age and is heavier than that of other criteria. There is significantly greater disagreement between the Ministry of Health and Welfare criteria and Body Mass Index than between Body Mass Index and Mastuki's method.
Thus, the standard weight used in the Ministry of Health and Welfare criteria for obesity and thinness is inappropriate and the criteria of BMI seem to be the most reasonable of these methods.
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