The UDOH, Office of Health Disparities Reduction recently surveyed 605 Utah adult Pacific Islanders and found that 63.6% (58.9-68.0) were obese, which is defined as a body mass index (BMI) over 30. The statewide obesity rate was 23.1% (21.9-24.3; 2010 BRFSS).
However, some studies have suggested that Pacific Islanders can be healthy at a larger BMI than can be tolerated by people of European descent (1). Researchers in New Zealand have developed a BMI scale specifically for people of Pacific Island descent (2). Using this scale, about half of Utah Pacific Islander adults (50.9%, 46.2-55.6) are still identified as obese.
Many overweight Pacific Islanders were not aware that they were overweight. Although only 15.1% of PIs were at healthy weight or low weight BMIs according to the PI-specific scale, 33.1% perceived their weight as healthy or underweight.
1. See http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/apjcn/volume18/vol18.3/finished/13_1503_404-411.pdf and https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/2292/4675/15608799.pdf?sequence=1
2. According to the New Zealand Pacific Islander scale, overweight is a BMI higher than 26, instead of 25, and obese is a BMI higher than 32, instead of 30. See http://www.everybody.co.nz/tool-06fb03f0-0ebf-4c02-8551-c1db35f6fb7b.aspx
You can see the original report here: http://health.utah.gov/opha/publications/hsu/1111_Inductions.pdf
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