Being overweight or increased waist to hip ratio for osteoarthritis
The osteoarthritis SOP includes factors of "being overweight", or having "a waist to hip circumference ratio exceeding 1.0 (males) and 0.9 (females)" for osteoarthritis of the lower limb or hand.
The RMA defines a joint of the lower limb to mean "the hip, knee, ankle, sacro-iliac joint or any joint of the foot".
Waist to hip circumference ratio
RMA definition of being overweight
In this Statement of Principles the Repatriation Medical Authority has defined being overweight as meaning "an increase in body weight by way of fat accumulation which results in a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.
The BMI = W/H — 2 and where:
W is the person's weight in kilograms and
H is the person's height in metres".
General information about being overweight
(For Imperial weights and measures, BMI = wt. in lbs/(ht in inches — 2) x 703.1).
If the person's BMI is 25, but less than 30, you will need to consider the condition/s which led to this increased level of weight, the requirements for being obese and morbid obesity do not need to be met here, but should be considered as a guideline for the types of factors that could apply to this factor. If the person does have a BMI at 30 or above you will need to consider the provisions for being obese, or morbid obesity.
Establishing if a person is overweight or has an increased waist to hip ratio circumference
If it is not possible to obtain specific height/weight or waist/hip measurements, a medical comment that the veteran or member was overweight at the required level will be sufficient. If height/weight or waist/hip measurements can be obtained, the BMI formula or circumference ratio should be applied.
A history of being overweight may be documented in the evidence. However, the person may not have sought medical attention and the condition may not have been recorded in medical records. In addition, doctors' and hospitals' records may have been destroyed or can no longer be obtained.
Therefore, a statement by the person about his or her weight or measurements at a particular time will generally be accepted, unless there is contradictory evidence. These measurements can then be used to calculate whether the person was overweight or would have the required waist to hip ratio at that time.