New BMI Cut-off Points for Better Assessment of Overweight and Obesity in Male Athletes

Recent research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) in Malaga, Spain, has challenged the traditional use of body mass index (BMI) cut-offs for assessing overweight and obesity among male athletes. The widely accepted thresholds—25 kg/m² for overweight and 30 kg/m² for obesity—tend to overestimate these conditions in athletes with higher muscle mass, leading to potential misclassification.

The study, conducted by researchers from Italy, aimed to evaluate the accuracy of these conventional BMI cut-offs in athletic populations and to propose more precise standards. The research involved 622 male athletes with an average age of 25.7 years, engaged in sports like soccer, rugby, basketball, volleyball, cross-fit, and karate. Participants were categorized based on their BMI and body fat percentage (BF%), measured via dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a highly accurate method for body composition analysis.

Findings revealed that the existing BMI thresholds significantly misclassify athletes, with over 72% categorized as normal weight according to BMI, while only about 4% had high body fat levels indicating overweight or obesity based on DXA measurements. This discrepancy underscores the limitations of BMI in athletic individuals, who typically possess greater muscle mass.

To address this, the researchers developed new BMI cut-off points tailored for male athletes, recommending 28.2 kg/m² for overweight and 33.7 kg/m² for obesity. These adjusted thresholds account for athletes' leaner body composition and are intended to improve accuracy in weight status assessment.

Prof. Chiara Milanese from the University of Verona emphasized the practicality of these findings, noting that BMI, which relies solely on weight and height, remains an accessible tool. With the updated cut-offs, sports organizations can more accurately identify athletes at risk without requiring advanced body composition analysis tools like DXA.

The research suggests that further studies are needed to establish specific cut-offs for female athletes and for athletes in various sports disciplines, especially those not included in the current study. Implementing these revised BMI standards could enhance health assessments and resource allocations within athletic communities.