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Which BMI and waist cut-offs apply to South Asians living in the UAE?

Why Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi residents get conflicting numbers, which ones UAE doctors use, and what your waist says that BMI misses.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 12 Oct 20267 min read10 sourcesWritten from published sources

Written for the United Arab Emirates. Other country versions are coming.

The short answer

UAE health authorities use the WHO cut-offs: BMI 25 is overweight and 30 is obesity. Their guidance adds that people of Asian origin face health risks lower down, from a BMI above 23. Dubai counts a waist over 90 cm in Asian men, or over 80 cm in Asian women, as abnormal.

Key takeaways

  • Abu Dhabi's obesity standard classifies adults with the WHO lines, overweight from BMI 25 and obesity from 30, the same lines Dubai's quality measures use.1,2
  • The same Abu Dhabi standard says people of Asian origin start to face health risks at a BMI above 23.1
  • Dubai's obesity guideline counts a waist over 90 cm in Asian men and over 80 cm in Asian women as abnormal.3
  • A study of 1.47 million people in England found South Asian adults at BMI 23.9 had the diabetes risk of white adults at BMI 30.4
  • India's lower cut-offs (obesity from BMI 25) are for people living in India; the UAE's medicine rules still start at BMI 27 in Dubai and 30 in Abu Dhabi.5,3,1
On this page
  1. Which BMI cut-offs do UAE health authorities use?
  2. Why do South Asians face risk at a lower BMI?
  3. What waist size counts as a risk for South Asians?
  4. Why do Indian websites say obesity starts at BMI 25?
  5. Does a lower cut-off change who can get a GLP-1 in the UAE?
  6. Questions people ask
  7. How we researched this

Which BMI cut-offs do UAE health authorities use?

The WHO's: under 18.5 underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 healthy, 25 to 29.9 overweight, 30 or more obesity. Abu Dhabi's 2025 standard uses these bands.1

BMI (body mass index) is your weight in kg divided by your height in metres, squared. At 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in), BMI 25 is about 72 kg (159 lb) and BMI 30 about 87 kg (191 lb).

Dubai’s quality measures for obesity care also use 25 and 30, while noting that “the BMI cut-offs vary in individuals of different ethnicities”.2 About 22.4% of UAE adults had obesity in the 2024–25 national health survey.6

Why do South Asians face risk at a lower BMI?

At the same BMI, many South Asian adults carry more body fat, and more of it around the organs. Dubai’s guideline says so directly.3

The DHA guideline says “Indians from South Asia have more total fat and visceral fat”. So at the same BMI, they may face a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than white people.3 Visceral fat is the fat packed around the liver and gut.

  • The WHO, 2004. An expert group found that many Asian people already face high risk of diabetes and heart disease below BMI 25.7
  • England, 2021. In 1.47 million people, South Asian adults at BMI 23.9 had the same diabetes risk as white adults at BMI 30. For Arab adults the matching point was 26.6.4
  • Abu Dhabi, 2025. Its standard says people of Asian origin start to face risk “even in this low range (i.e., BMI >23 kg/m2)”.1

The England study is about people living in England, not the UAE. We found no UAE study that sets cut-offs for South Asian residents.

What waist size counts as a risk for South Asians?

Over 90 cm (35.4 in) for Asian men and over 80 cm (31.5 in) for Asian women, says Dubai’s guideline. For everyone else it uses 102 cm and 88 cm.3

Abu Dhabi uses waist-to-height ratio: your waist divided by your height. 0.4 to 0.49 is the healthy range. 0.5 to 0.59 means raised risk, and 0.6 or more high risk.1 For someone 170 cm tall, a ratio of 0.5 is an 85 cm waist.

The standard says to measure waist and waist-to-height ratio when BMI is between 25 and 35, because BMI can miss belly fat in that range.1

How to measure. Dubai’s guideline says: stand, and place a non-stretch tape around your belly, level with the top of your hip bones, parallel to the floor.3
Free toolCheck your BMI and waist

See where your numbers fall on the WHO lines, with the extra notes for Asian adults. No sign-up.

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Why do Indian websites say obesity starts at BMI 25?

Because India’s 2009 consensus set lower lines for people living in India: overweight from 23 and obesity from 25. Those are not the UAE’s rules.5

Whose numbersOverweight fromObesity fromWaist flagged
UAE authorities (WHO lines)used for decisions in the UAEBMI 251,2BMI 301Asian adults: over 90 cm men, over 80 cm women (DHA)3
India’s 2009 consensusfor people living in IndiaBMI 235BMI 25590 cm men, 80 cm women5
England’s NICEfor South Asian and other named groupsBMI 238BMI 27.58Waist-to-height ratio 0.5 or more8

Different countries, different purposes. Only the first row applies to UAE rules.

England’s NICE lowers its thresholds by 2.5 for South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Caribbean backgrounds.9 So a South Asian adult with a BMI of 26 counts as “overweight” in Dubai and London, but as having obesity in Delhi.

Our India site explains the Indian numbers; for UAE decisions, the UAE’s own guidance applies. See our guide Do I have obesity?

Does a lower cut-off change who can get a GLP-1 in the UAE?

No. The ethnic notes describe risk; they don't move the medicine lines. Abu Dhabi starts at BMI 30 with a weight-related condition, Dubai at 27 with a condition.1,3

Before you go further
  • GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in the UAE. They should only be used under medical supervision, with a prescription from a doctor licensed in the UAE.10
  • Label facts here come from the EU label (EMA), the UK label or the US label (FDA), named each time. We could not find the UAE pack leaflets online, so check the leaflet in your own pack.
  • Every risk of these medicines is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
  • This post describes labels, rules and trials. It is not a plan for your treatment, and no dose or brand guarantees any result.

Take a South Asian adult with a BMI of 26 and a large waist. By the UAE’s own guidance their health risk is real, yet they are below the line both emirates set for a GLP‑1.1,3 The first steps the guidelines describe are diet, activity and checks for diabetes and heart risk.1

Abu Dhabi’s standard lists blood sugar (HbA1c), cholesterol, blood pressure and waist among the first checks for anyone with excess weight.1 Dubai’s guideline says health benefits have been reported from losing only 5% of body weight.3

The detail on both emirates is in Abu Dhabi’s rules and how to get a GLP‑1 prescription legally.

Questions people ask

What is a healthy BMI for Indians in the UAE?

UAE authorities use 18.5 to 24.9 for everyone, but note that people of Asian origin start to face risk above 23.1

What waist size is too big for a South Asian man?

Over 90 cm (35.4 in), according to Dubai’s obesity guideline. For South Asian women, over 80 cm (31.5 in).3

Do UAE doctors use the Indian BMI cut-offs?

No. UAE guidance uses the WHO lines of 25 and 30, with notes on Asian risk. India's lower lines are for people living in India.1,5

Can I get Mounjaro in Dubai with a BMI of 27?

Dubai's guideline allows medicine at BMI 27 to 29.9 only with a weight-related condition, after lifestyle change hasn't worked. A doctor decides.3

Is waist-to-height ratio better than BMI?

Abu Dhabi's standard uses both: it adds waist and waist-to-height ratio for BMI 25 to 35, where BMI can miss belly fat.1

Shorter answers: What BMI do I need for weight-loss injections in the UAE?

How we researched this

On 12 Oct 2026 we read Abu Dhabi's Standard for Non-Surgical Management of Obesity (2025) and Dubai's obesity telehealth guideline (2024). The Dubai quality-measures document, the WHO 2004 consultation, the England study, India's 2009 consensus and NICE's guidance were already checked for our other GLP Guidebook pages.

We found no UAE study that sets separate cut-offs for South Asian residents, and no UAE rule that lowers the medicine thresholds by ethnicity.

Before you move on

  • UAE rules use BMI 25 and 30, the WHO lines.
  • Asian origin: risk starts above BMI 23, says Abu Dhabi.
  • Waist: over 90 cm (men) or 80 cm (women) is flagged in Dubai.
  • India's cut-offs are for India; they don't change UAE medicine rules.
Considering it for weightHelping a family memberBMI and waist tool

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Sources

  1. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Standard for Non-Surgical Management of Obesity, DOH/ST/HPS/Non-Surgical-MO/V1/2025, published February 2025. Sections 3.3–3.4, 4.1 and Appendix 4. PDF doh.gov.ae
  2. Dubai Health Authority. Ejada KPIs and Recommendations: Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, issued 3 September 2024 ("The BMI cut-offs vary in individuals of different ethnicities"; measures use BMI 25 and 30). PDF isahd.ae
  3. Dubai Health Authority. Clinical Guidelines for Virtual Management of Obesity, DHA/HRS/HPSD/CG-53, issue 2, effective 21 April 2024. PDF dha.gov.ae
  4. Caleyachetty R et al. Ethnicity-specific BMI cutoffs for obesity based on type 2 diabetes risk in England: a population-based cohort study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2021;9:419–26. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00088-7 doi.org
  5. Misra A et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians. J Assoc Physicians India 2009;57:163–70 (cut-offs for people living in India). PMID 19582986 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Gulf News. UAE residents smoke less, embrace more active lifestyles: MOHAP National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024–2025. 6 January 2026. gulfnews.com
  7. WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363:157–63. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(03)15268-3 doi.org
  8. NICE (England). Overweight and obesity management, guideline NG246, section 1.9. Published 14 January 2025, updated 8 January 2026. nice.org.uk
  9. NICE (England). Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity, technology appraisal TA1026, section 1. Published 23 December 2024, updated 1 September 2025. nice.org.uk
  10. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 48/2026, 16 March 2026: alert on fake GLP‑1 products. GLP‑1 medicines "are prescription-only medicines and should only be used under medical supervision"; unregistered products are sold online and on social media; reports to the DoH pharmacovigilance team at [email protected]. Summarised, not reproduced, as the circular asks. PDF doh.gov.ae

Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Oct 2027 · Report an error

How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write