Health implications of obesity: an NIH Consensus Development Conference

A Consensus Development Conference on the Health Implications of Obesity was held in February 1985 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. After presentations by 19 experts in relevant subject areas, a panel of 15 impartial senior level professionals presented their consensus of findings and recommendations. This paper summarizes the results of the conference and provides reference tables of body mass index (BMI) values and weight goals, along with nomograms of the BMI determined from height and weight scales, to show comparisons with weight goals. The goals are taken from two widely available tables of mortality data by weight. These reference aids are included to illustrate the potential clinical value of wider use of the BMI, as recommended in the conference.