Module overview

The UK is culturally diverse, with nearly a fifth of the population in England and Wales coming from ethnic minority groups. At the same time, around 65% of adults in the UK are overweight or living with obesity. 
    Assessment of weight and obesity is largely based on body mass index (BMI), but there are biological and ethnic differences in BMI risk thresholds for adverse health outcomes. UK data is therefore likely to underestimate the true proportion of people from ethnic minority groups who are overweight or living with obesity because the relevant BMI thresholds are lower (see Table 1 below).   
    There is a clear relationship between BMI and adverse health outcomes. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for several chronic conditions and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
     However, the standard BMI scale and cut-off values for overweight and obesity were developed primarily using White European population data. They were not designed for people from other ethnic backgrounds (including Black, Asian, Brown, dual heritage and indigenous ethnicities, collectively referred to in the UK as ethnic minority groups).