---
title: "Nature study finds only about a quarter of obese adults have clinical obesity"
publication: "MediaBias News"
url: "https://mediabias.news/health/nature-study-finds-only-about-a-quarter-of-obese-adults-have-clinical-obesity"
api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/nature-study-finds-only-about-a-quarter-of-obese-adults-have-clinical-obesity"
markdown: "https://mediabias.news/health/nature-study-finds-only-about-a-quarter-of-obese-adults-have-clinical-obesity.md"
audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/nature-study-finds-only-about-a-quarter-of-obese-adults-have-clinical-obesity"
category: "Health"
published: "2026-11-12T04:25:16.149Z"
source_reported: "2026-11-11T22:35:12.896Z"
updated: "2026-11-12T04:25:16.149Z"
trust_score: 74
critic_score: 95
hype_score: 15
assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis"
fact_check_status: "not-performed"
coverage_measured: "2026-11-13T05:45:07.847849+00:00"
---

# Nature study finds only about a quarter of obese adults have clinical obesity

*Analysis of data from 850,000 adults in four countries suggests most obesity is pre‑clinical and does not progress to disease*

**Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): 

- Trust 74 of 100, higher is better. Trust 74: named senior author, Nature study citation, specific data size and countries, and dated publication give solid sourcing.
- Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95: explains relevance, includes expert quote, separates facts, provides precise figures, and outlines potential policy impact.
- Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Hype 15: language is measured; no sensational adjectives or clickbait headlines exceed the article’s substance.

Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology.

**The short version**

- A Nature study using data from about 850,000 adults in China, Britain, the US and Spain redefines obesity into pre‑clinical and clinical categories.
- Only roughly 27 % of people classified as obese meet the clinical definition, representing about 8.5 % of all adults.
- Around 82 % of those with pre‑clinical obesity did not progress to clinical obesity, with higher progression rates in China and Spain.
- The authors recommend adding body‑fat measures such as waist circumference to improve diagnosis.

A study published in Nature examined health data from almost 850,000 adults across China, Britain, the United States and Spain. The researchers aimed to move obesity diagnosis beyond body‑mass index alone by adding body‑fat measures and organ‑function indicators. The senior author, Francesco Rubino of King’s College London, said the inaccuracy of BMI has long been recognised but a better system has not yet been adopted.

Applying the new framework, the authors estimated that on average only about 27 % of people currently labelled as obese would be classified as having clinical obesity. This proportion translates to roughly 8.5 % of all adults in the four countries. The remaining majority would fall into a pre‑clinical category, indicating elevated risk but not active disease.

The study found that around 82 % of individuals identified with pre‑clinical obesity did not progress to clinical obesity during the observation period. Progression rates were higher in China and Spain, suggesting regional variation. The authors argue that distinguishing pre‑clinical from clinical obesity could refine treatment decisions and public‑health policy.

> "But we haven’t so far got a better system,"
>
> — Francesco Rubino, senior author

**27%** — Clinical obesity among obese adults (Across China, Britain, the US and Spain)

## Blindspot

No left‑ or right‑rated outlets ran this story, leaving their perspectives absent from the coverage.

## Who covered it

Shares of the 42 covering outlets with a published leaning rating:

- Left: 24% (10)
- Centre: 50% (21)
- Right: 26% (11)

28 of 70 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-11-13T05:45:07.847849+00:00.

**Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 100 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-11-13T06:00:11.895Z.

## How the sides framed it

### Left

No separate framing summary.

### Centre

- CTV News highlighted the limited share of obese adults who actually have clinical disease, noting that "only between a quarter and a third of people currently diagnosed with obesity should be considered as in poor health." The report quoted senior author Francesco Rubino saying, "But we haven’t so far got a better system," and stressed the proposal to add waist‑circumference and organ‑function tests to the diagnostic criteria. It also referenced the World Health Organization’s estimate that more than one billion people worldwide are affected by obesity.

### Right

No separate framing summary.

## Factuality profile of the covering outlets

These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true.

- mixed: 3
- high: 20
- unknown: 28
- veryHigh: 19

## Verification scope

This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true.

## Original reporting this was written from

- [News Medical](https://news-medical.net/news/20261112/A-study-of-844000-adults-reveals-what-BMI-misses-about-obesity.aspx) — A study of 844,000 adults reveals what BMI misses about obesity
- [Medical Daily](https://medicaldaily.com/clinical-obesity-higher-death-risk-study-bmi-waist-measurements-481176) — Study finds obesity-related organ problems—not BMI alone—are linked to higher death risk
- [European Medical Journal](https://emjreviews.com/general-healthcare/news/beyond-bmi-a-new-way-to-diagnose-obesity) — Beyond BMI: A New Way to Diagnose Obesity
- [Portfolio](https://portfolio.hu/gazdasag/20261112/uj-kutatas-minden-megvaltozhat-amit-eddig-az-elhizasrol-tudtunk-876118) — New Research Could Change Everything We Know About Obesity
- [Blikk.hu](https://blikk.hu/ferfiaknak/tech/bmi-elhizas-kings-college-uj-diagnosztika/p6flp5r) — BMI Is Causing Misdiagnoses, so We Are About to Introduce a New, More Personalized Obesity Measurement Model
- [The Hindu](https://thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health/article71693668.ece) — Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health
- [Folha de S.Paulo](https://redir.folha.com.br/redir/online/emcimadahora/rss091/*https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2026/11/estudo-diz-que-obesidade-nem-sempre-significa-ter-problemas-de-saude.shtml) — Obesity Doesn't Always Mean Having Health Problems - 12/11/2026 - Balance and Health
- [Euronews](https://euronews.com/2026/11/12/bmi-alone-misses-obesity-diagnoses-international-study-finds) — BMI alone misses obesity diagnoses, international study finds
- [in.gr](https://in.gr/2026/11/12/in-science/episthmes/oi-perissoteroi-paxysarkoi-einai-stin-pragmatikotita-ygieis-ora-gia-allagi-tou-orismou) — Most "Obese" People Are Actually Healthy – Time to Change the Definition
- [n-tv](https://n-tv.de/wissen/Bauchfett-bedroht-Gesundheit-staerker-als-Uebergewicht-id31524632.html) — Body Mass Index Insufficient: Abdominal Fat Threatens Health More than Overweight
- [news4health.gr](https://news4health.gr/ygeia/i-paxysarkia-den-simainei-se-oles-tis-periptoseis-kaki-ygeia-ti-deixnei-nea-erevna) — Obesity Does Not Always Mean Poor Health - What New Research Shows
- [Eesti Rahvusringhääling](https://novaator.err.ee/1610193442/uuring-uus-rasvumise-diagnoosiviis-on-kmi-st-toesti-tapsem) — Study: New Obesity Diagnosis Method Is Actually More Accurate than BMI
- [Dnoticias](https://dnoticias.pt/2026/11/12/512653-indice-de-massa-corporal-e-insuficiente-para-avaliar-a-obesidade) — Body Mass Index Is Insufficient to Assess Obesity
- [sondakika.com](https://sondakika.com/guncel/haber-844-bin-108-yetiskinle-yapilan-calismada-vucut-kit-20420170) — Body Mass Index Alone Is Not Enough in a Study of 844,108 Adults - Last Minute
- [sport.es](https://sport.es/es/noticias/salud/imc-cuenta-obesidad-estudio-identifica-136357457) — BMI Does Not Tell the Whole Truth About Obesity: a Study Identifies Two Key Measures to Better Detect Obesity
- [laprovincia.es](https://laprovincia.es/salud/guia/2026/11/12/imc-cuenta-obesidad-estudio-identifica-136357453.html) — BMI Does Not Tell the Whole Truth About Obesity: a Study Identifies Two Key Measures to Better Detect Obesity
- [elcorreogallego.es](https://elcorreogallego.es/vida-y-estilo/salud/guia/2026/11/12/imc-cuenta-obesidad-estudio-identifica-136357449.html) — BMI Does Not Tell the Whole Truth About Obesity: a Study Identifies Two Key Measures to Better Detect Obesity
- [elcorreoweb.es](https://elcorreoweb.es/salud/2026/11/12/imc-cuenta-obesidad-estudio-identifica-136357413.html) — BMI Does Not Tell the Whole Truth About Obesity: a Study Identifies Two Key Measures to Better Detect Obesity
- [informacion.es](https://informacion.es/salud/guia/2026/11/12/imc-cuenta-obesidad-estudio-identifica-136357418.html) — BMI Does Not Tell the Whole Truth About Obesity: a Study Identifies Two Key Measures to Better Detect Obesity
- [IOL Portugal](https://iol.pt/imc/obesidade-clinica/tem-excesso-de-peso-o-imc-pode-nao-estar-a-avaliar-corretamente-os-riscos-para-a-sua-saude) — Are You Overweight? BMI May Not Be Correctly Assessing Your Health Risks
- [Observador](https://observador.pt/2026/11/12/estudo-indica-que-indice-de-massa-corporal-e-insuficiente-para-avaliar-a-obesidade) — Study Indicates that Body Mass Index Is Insufficient to Assess Obesity
- [healthcare-in-europe.com](https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/diagnose-obesity-new-clinical-definition.html) — Diagnosing obesity: new clinical definition outperforms BMI
- [매일신문](https://imaeil.com/page/view/2026111210314130893) — Diagnosing with BMI Alone Misses 8.6%... New Obesity Standard that Better Captures 'Risk of Death'
- [FOCUS online](https://focus.de/gesundheit/news/60-prozent-mehr-betroffene-durch-neue-adipositas-definition-was-das-fuer-sie-bedeutet_e1fe2b64-a355-473b-a9ea-3b305307ead4.html) — New Obesity Definition Reveals 9 Percent More Cases
- [EL NACIONAL](https://elnacional.com/2026/11/el-indice-de-masa-corporal-es-insuficiente-para-evaluar-la-obesidad) — Body Mass Index Is Insufficient to Evaluate Obesity
- [ElNacional.cat](https://elnacional.cat/ca/societat/obesitat-no-es-mesura-nomes-imc-estudi-proposa-incorporar-cintura-salut-organs_1724021_102.html) — Obesity Is Not Measured only with BMI: a New Study Proposes Incorporating Fat Distribution
- [CTV News](https://ctvnews.ca/health/article/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health) — Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health
- [Medical Xpress](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-clinical-definition-obesity-effectively-money.html) — New clinical definition of obesity could help target care more effectively, saving time and money
- [Hot News](https://hotnews.ro/obezitatea-nu-inseamna-in-mod-automat-o-sanatate-precara-arata-un-nou-studiu-2401795) — Obesity Does Not Automatically Mean Poor Health, Shows a New Study - HotNews.ro
- [GV Wire](https://gvwire.com/2026/11/11/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health) — Study Suggests Not All Obesity Means Ill-Health
- [Qué!](https://que.es/2026/11/11/obesidad-espana-perimetro-cintura) — Measuring Also the Waist Increases Almost 40% the Cases of Obesity Detected in Spain
- [Stirile Pro TV](https://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/sanatate/cate-persoane-diagnosticate-cu-obezitate-sunt-de-fapt-bolnave-ce-arata-un-nou-studiu.html) — How Many People Diagnosed with Obesity Are Actually Sick. What a New Study Shows
- [Adevarul](https://adevarul.ro/stiri-interne/sanatate/studiu-obezitatea-nu-inseamna-automat-o-stare-2570817.html) — STUDY Obesity Does Not Automatically Mean a Poor State of Health. Only a Quarter of the People Diagnosed Would Have Clinical Form of the Disease
- [REALITATEA.NET](https://realitatea.net/stiri/sanatate/obezitatea-nu-inseamna-neaparat-ca-esti-bolnav-un-studiu-urias-schimba-tot-ce-stiam-despre-diagnostic-8wqxq4) — Obesity Doesn't Necessarily Mean You're Sick. A Huge Study Changes Everything We Knew About Diagnosis
- [Digi 24](https://digi24.ro/stiri/actualitate/sanatate/un-nou-studiu-sustine-ca-obezitatea-nu-inseamna-in-mod-automat-o-sanatate-precara-imc-este-considerat-depasit-4032409) — A New Study Argues that Obesity Does Not Automatically Mean Poor Health.
- [regionalmedianews.com](https://regionalmedianews.com/world/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health) — Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health - Regional Media News
- [한겨레](https://hani.co.kr/arti/science/science_general/1286918.html) — ‘BMI’ Misses Health Risks… Will a New Method for Diagnosing Obesity Emerge?
- [Montana Standard](https://mtstandard.com/online_features/press_releases/article_bdd4a9d6-f96e-56d4-9cd3-367e5386fd88.html) — Study Confirms BMI Alone Can Miss Important Health Risks Associated with Obesity
- [Tucson](https://tucson.com/online_features/press_releases/article_3b410be6-0798-5293-b81a-4c49e4944fa0.html) — Study Confirms BMI Alone Can Miss Important Health Risks Associated with Obesity
- [cuanschutz.edu](https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/study-confirms-bmi-alone-can-miss-important-health-risks-associated-with-obesity) — Study Confirms BMI Alone Can Miss Important Health Risks Associated with Obesity
- [Reuters](https://reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health-2026-11-11) — Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health
- [www.cnews.fr](https://cnews.fr/sante/2026-11-11/obesite-limc-remise-en-cause-pour-evaluer-lexces-de-graisse-selon-une-etude) — Obesity: BMI Challenged to Assess Excess Fat, According to a Study
- [ТСН.ua](https://tsn.ua/zdorovya/milyonam-liudey-nepravylno-diahnostuvaly-ozyrinnia-vcheni-znayshly-tochnishyy-sposib-vyznachennia-nebezpechnoyi-vahy-3214163.html) — Millions of People Misdiagnosed with Obesity: Scientists Have Found a More Accurate Way to Determine Dangerous Weight
- [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health) — Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health
- [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/11/11/study-suggests-not-all-obesity-means-ill-health) — Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health
- [Kurier](https://kurier.at/wissen/gesundheit/adipositas-uebergewicht-body-mass-index-bauchumfang-gewicht/403204746) — New Definition of Obesity: the Body Mass Index Alone Is Not Enough
- [Le Singulier](https://lesinguliersete.fr/pour-juger-de-lobesite-le-tour-de-taille-vaut-bien-la-balance) — To Judge Obesity, the Waist Circumference Is Worth the Balance.
- [Sud Ouest](https://sudouest.fr/sante/obesite-une-etude-confirme-les-limites-de-l-indice-de-masse-corporelle-imc-pour-evaluer-l-exces-de-graisse-31485674.php) — Obesity: Study Confirms Body Mass Index (BMI) Limits to Assess Excess Fat
- [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/bmi-scale-obese-body-fat-study-b3083327.html) — Millions of people 'wrongly labelled by BMI scale,' suggests study
- [nicematin.com](https://nicematin.com/sante/son-imprecision-est-un-probleme-majeur-cette-etude-confirme-les-limites-de-l-indice-de-masse-corporelle-pour-diagnostiquer-l-obesite-et-enonce-des-alternatives-10758227) — Its Impreciseness Is "a Major Problem": This Study Confirms the Limits of the Body Mass Index to Diagnose Obesity and Sets Out Alternatives
- [Deutsches Ärzteblatt](https://aerzteblatt.de/news/neue-definition-von-adipositas-genauer-als-der-bmi-aber-schwer-umzusetzen-ff82eaf4-e171-4e3b-9692-31c2afa451e3) — New Definition of Obesity More Accurate than BMI, but Difficult to Implement
- [nplus1.ru](https://nplus1.ru/news/2026/11/11/obesity-vs-obesity) — The Extensive Analysis Confirmed the Usefulness of a New Classification of Obesity
- [Globo](https://g1.globo.com/saude/noticia/2026/11/11/imc-nao-basta-para-saber-quem-tem-obesidade-e-deixa-escapar-parte-dos-casos.ghtml) — BMI Is Not Enough to Know Who Is Obese and Lets some of the Cases Escape
- [diariomedico.com](https://diariomedico.com/medicina/endocrinologia/mas-alla-bascula-hay-distinguir-obesidad-clinica-preclinica-personalizar-terapia.html) — Beyond Scale: a Distinction Must Be Made Between Clinical and Preclinical Obesity in Order to Personalize Therapy
- [El Pais](https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-11-11/una-nueva-forma-de-medir-la-obesidad-eleva-casi-un-40-los-casos-en-espana.html) — A New Way of Measuring Obesity Increases Almost 40% of Cases in Spain
- [Science Media Centre](https://sciencemediacentre.org/new-clinical-definition-versus-bmi-in-diagnosing-obesity) — New clinical definition versus BMI in diagnosing obesity
- [Hola News](https://holanews.com/el-indice-de-masa-corporal-es-insuficiente-para-evaluar-la-obesidad-segun-los-cientificos) — The Body Mass Index Is Insufficient to Evaluate Obesity, According to Scientists
- [Tagesschau](https://tagesschau.de/wissen/adipositas-definition-bmi-100.html) — No Longer Just BMI: This Is How Obesity Could Be Better Defined
- [Great Yorkshire Radio](https://greatyorkshireradio.co.uk/uk/body-mass-index-may-have-misclassified-millions-of-people-in-uk-researchers-say) — Body Mass Index May Have Misclassified Millions Of People In UK, Researchers Say
- [asiae.co.kr](https://asiae.co.kr/article/2026111118483627783) — "Weight Alone Cannot Determine Obesity"… New Diagnostic Criteria Verifyed Through Analysis of 840,000 People
- [Inside Precision Medicine](https://insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/patient-care/new-method-of-diagnosing-obesity-reflects-health-risks-better-than-bmi) — New Method of Diagnosing Obesity Reflects Health Risks Better than BMI
- [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/bmi-obesity-weight-loss-body-fat-b3083084.html) — More than 1 million Brits 'wrongly classified as obese under flawed BMI'
- [abc](https://abc.es/salud/tercio-personas-clasificadas-obesidad-reciben-farmacos-estar-20261111170001-nt.html) — Up to One Third of People Classified as Obese Receive Drugs without Being Ill
- [El Mundo](https://elmundo.es/salud/2026/11/11/6af4683cfc6c83fb608b458d.html) — The Study that Disassembles BMI: Why Obesity Is Much More than a Number in the Scale
- [La Vanguardia](https://lavanguardia.com/ciencia/20261111/11680885/mejor-manera-tienes-obesidad-combina-peso-altura-perimetro-cintura.html) — The Best Way to Know if You Have Obesity Combines Weight, Height and Waist Perimeter
- [STAT](https://statnews.com/2026/11/11/obesity-diagnosis-bmi-lancet-commission-proposal-impact) — BMI alternative would flip obesity diagnosis for millions, study finds
- [Sueddeutsche Zeitung](https://sueddeutsche.de/gesundheit/adipositas-bmi-uebergewicht-taillenumfang-fettleibigkeit-li.3578740) — Obesity: Why BMI Is Not Enough – and What Matters Instead
- [Pharmaphorum](https://pharmaphorum.com/news/obesity-needs-new-clinical-definition-study-finds) — Obesity needs a new clinical definition, study finds
- [조선일보](https://chosun.com/economy/science/2026/11/12/R6TRNCWLZ5APTOGYFVLYYABWEQ) — “Height and Weight Alone Cannot Cover It”: 200-Year-Old BMI System Missed up to 8.6% of Obese Patients
- [Nature](https://nature.com/articles/d41586-026-03425-0) — Proposed approach for diagnosing obesity outperforms old method

## Questions

**What new definition of obesity does the study propose?**

The study suggests a two‑tier definition that separates pre‑clinical obesity, identified by high body‑fat measures but no organ damage, from clinical obesity, where excess weight is already causing organ dysfunction. This approach adds waist‑circumference and health‑status checks to the traditional BMI metric.

**How many obese adults are estimated to have clinical obesity?**

The authors estimate that about 27 % of people classified as obese under BMI criteria meet the clinical definition, which corresponds to roughly 8.5 % of all adults across the four countries examined in the study.

**What did the study find about the progression from pre‑clinical to clinical obesity?**

Around 82 % of individuals labelled with pre‑clinical obesity did not advance to clinical obesity during the study period. The analysis noted higher progression rates in China and Spain, indicating that most pre‑clinical cases remain stable over time.

**Why do the authors believe the current BMI‑only system is insufficient?**

Senior author Francesco Rubino said the inaccuracy of BMI measurements is well‑known and that no better system has been widely adopted. The study argues that incorporating body‑fat assessments and organ‑function indicators would provide a more meaningful clinical characterisation of obesity.

---

MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/health/nature-study-finds-only-about-a-quarter-of-obese-adults-have-clinical-obesity. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Nature study finds only about a quarter of obese adults have clinical obesity", https://mediabias.news/health/nature-study-finds-only-about-a-quarter-of-obese-adults-have-clinical-obesity