The orthodoxy in most high income countries is that anyone with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more is overweight, but evidence suggests the cut-off point should be a fair bit higher, writes Clare Wilson
Health | Columnist 7 September 2025
By Clare Wilson
Shutterstock/Elena Abrazhevich
IF, LIKE me, you put on a few pounds during the pandemic lockdowns, you may not be looking forward to your next doctor’s visit in case they ask you to step on the weighing scales.
Healthcare staff assess whether people are overweight by calculating their body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight that takes height into account. Those whose BMI is judged too high may be given diet advice sheets or recommended a website, app or slimming clubs.
The link with lockdown is particularly cruel as health bodies also tell us that being overweight puts people in greater …
