Racial bias seen in obesity measurement

Horrors! Something is not perfect!

"The standard measure used to define obesity may overestimate the prevalence of the problem among African Americans and underestimate it for some other groups, including Asians and Hispanic women, a new study suggests...

In the new study, reported in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that the standard BMI categories are not a universally good fit."

But it is good enough.

"Among men, African Americans' body fat percentage was nearly 5 percent lower, on average, while the difference was close to 2 percent among women."

These small differences are immaterial relative to the alternatives.

"DXA is a more way accurate (sic) of gauging a person's body composition than BMI, Jackson said. But its expense and relative inconvenience means it will not be replacing BMI in routine care."

See? No need to throw out the baby with the bathwater.