Almost 70% of US adults would be deemed obese based on new definition, study finds

The traditional definition of obesity has long been controversial as it does not differentiate between fat and muscle. Photograph: Rawf8/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Almost 70% of adults in the US would be deemed to have obesity based on a new definition, research suggests.

The traditional definition of obesity, typically based on having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, has long been contentious, not least as it does not differentiate between fat and muscle.