Yes, in people of South Asian, Southeast Asian, or East Asian descent, having a BMI of 23 to 24.9 is considered overweight.
BMI cutoffs are lower in this population because they have an increased risk of cardiometabolic disease and mortality at lower BMIs. As a result, these ethnicities have different BMI classifications:[1]
- A BMI <18.5 indicates underweight.
- A BMI of 18.5 to 22.9 indicates normal weight.
- A BMI of 23 to 24.9 indicates overweight.
- A BMI of 25 to 29.9 indicates class I obesity.
- A BMI ≥30 indicates class II obesity.