Dr. Cyrus Pasamba, Novo Nordisk's senior medical manager for Clinical, Medical, Regulatory, and Pharmacovigilance, says on June 10, 202 that 'thin outside, fat inside' or TOFI' may refer to someone who 'may appear lean' but whose body scan could reveal 'high levels of visceral fat, which is more strongly associated with complications such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and fatty liver.' Pasamba cites a 2022 South and Southeast Asian Consensus Guidelines where the threshold for obesity in Asian populations is lower. A BMI of 25, which is considered overweight globally, is already classified as obese for Asians. This is due to differences in fat distribution, with Asians more prone to accumulating visceral fat — the dangerous fat that surrounds internal organs. VIDEO BY ALLEN LIMOS
