Adoption bar on obese parents

BEIJING: China has imposed stricter criteria on foreigners who want to adopt Chinese children, especially obese applicants.

The director of the China Centre of Adoption Affairs, Xing Kaimin, confirmed a highly-disputed criterion that applicants should not be overweight, a rule that is likely to affect applications from the United States.

According to the new guidelines which go into effect from May 1, the applicants must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 40, China Daily reported. The index of 40 means extreme obesity, for example, in a person who is 1.7 meters tall and weighs more than 115 kg.

“Obese people are more likely to suffer from diseases and might have a shorter life expectancy,” Xing said.”The criteria are meant to protect children's interests,” Xing said. “It does not mean we are prejudiced against less qualified applicants, who can still apply.”