Nutrition: obesity in Indians: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Nutrition: obesity in Indians

Sample item

A 45-year-old woman is 160 cm tall and weighs 68 kg. Using the cut-offs recommended for Asian Indians, how is she classified?

ANormal weightBObeseCUnderweightDOverweight but not obese

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Obese

BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared: 68 / (1.6 x 1.6) = 68 / 2.56, which is about 26.6 kg/m2. For Asian Indians, overweight is 23 to 24.9 and obesity starts at 25 because of higher cardiometabolic risk at lower BMI. She is therefore obese by Asian criteria.

Option by option

A. Normal weight
The normal range is 18.5 to 22.9 for Asian Indians, and she is well above it.
B. Obese (correct)
Correct. A BMI of 26.6 is above the Asian obesity threshold of 25.
C. Underweight
Underweight is a BMI below 18.5, which is far from her value.
D. Overweight but not obese
Overweight (25 to 29.9) is the label under the international WHO cut-offs, not the Asian ones.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is B, Obese. BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared: 68 / (1.

Why is "Normal weight" not the answer?

The normal range is 18.5 to 22.9 for Asian Indians, and she is well above it.

Why is "Underweight" not the answer?

Underweight is a BMI below 18.5, which is far from her value.

Why is "Overweight but not obese" not the answer?

Overweight (25 to 29.9) is the label under the international WHO cut-offs, not the Asian ones.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nutrition: obesity in Indians in PSM. 6 x 1.6) = 68 / 2.56, which is about 26.6 kg/m2. For Asian Indians, overweight is 23 to 24.9 and obesity starts at 25 because of higher cardiometabolic risk at lower BMI. She is therefore obese by Asian criteria.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nutrition: obesity in Indians?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.