Comparison of body mass index in the evaluation of overall obesity in Finnish and Bangladeshi undergraduate students aged 18-35 years: a pilot study

Background: The incidence of overall obesity has increased dramatically, not only in high-income countries but also in low- and middle-income countries. Body mass index (BMI) is widely used as a measure of overweight and obesity. Objective: To assess the prevalence of overall obesity in Finnish and Bangladeshi undergraduate students aged 18–35 years. Materials and Methods: A population-based cross-sectional pilot study of undergraduate students in Finland and Bangladesh. BMI was calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. Based on cut-points recommended by the World Health Organization, BMI (kg/m2) for normal weight is 18.5–24.9 kg/m2 and that for pre-obesity and obesity is 25.0–29.9 and 30.0–34.9 kg/m2, respectively, in Finnish; obesity of Asians was found…