An outdated BMI system could put people of various ethnicities at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes.
One study found that the BMI (body mass index) system has cutoffs, which means people of various walks of life are more likely to develop the disease at a much lower BMI than those of white backgrounds.
The study analyzed the health records of 1.5 million adults in England who were registered with a British general practitioner between 1990 and 2018.
Researchers called on the NHS to adopt ethnicity-specific obesity thresholds to ensure people of diverse ethnicities are checked early enough to detect the disease.
The study’s principal investigator, Dr Rishi Caleyachetty, physician and epidemiologist at the University of Warwick, said: “As a physician, I am extremely concerned that if current BMI values are not not altered to reflect ethnicity, many BAME people will needlessly slip through the net, unknowingly leaving them at risk for type 2 diabetes.
“I meet people from BAME who tell me about the lack of information on what is a healthy weight for their community.
“Another person who was told she was at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes told me she was surprised because she was not ‘fat’.
“These are just two examples from many cases, indicating that a ‘general’ set of BMI values could put BAME people at a disadvantage in accessing type 2 diabetes prevention services.”
He added: ‘We hope this study will quickly launch a review of the current UK BMI policy for BAME people, to prevent both type 2 diabetes and to facilitate early and effective treatment. type 2 diabetes.
“We all know that the NHS was founded on the principles of fairness and that all patients, regardless of their background, should be treated the same, but it is clear at this point that these principles may not be not be a reality for many BAME people. “
According to NHS guidelines, an adult …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-12 00:18:00
