Does Being Overweight Lead to a Longer Life?
A new study of data from 1,326 Canadians suggests that carrying a few extra pounds may actually help you to live longer.
The findings were published in the online journal Obesity, and the results tie in with previous research, including a study carried out in 2007 which drew the same conclusions.
Researchers found that:
- People who were underweight (defined in the study as BMI < 18.5) were 73% more likely to die than people of normal weight (BMI 18.5 - 25).
- Those who were overweight (BMI 25 - 30) were 17% less likely to die than those of normal weight.
- Those who were obese (BMI 30 - 35) were about as likely to die as those of normal weight.
As you can see from the figures, any health benefit from being slightly overweight is likely to be small. But, being underweight could be putting your health at serious risk.
Dr. David Feeny, one of the lead authors on the study, suggested that "overweight may not be the problem we thought it was." The New York Times paraphrased his conclusions as to why this could be the case:
[Dr. Feeny] said the finding may be due to the fact that a little excess weight is protective for the elderly, who are at greatest risk for dying, or because many health conditions associated with being overweight, like high blood pressure, are being treated with medication.
So, how does this research relate to you?
- If you're struggling to get your BMI below 25, focus on being fit, not on getting thin. Fit and fat has been shown to be better than thin and unfit.
- Don't try to reach an unhealthily low weight - you could shorten your life. If your BMI is below 18.5, talk to your doctor.
- If your BMI is currently between 18.5 - 25, don't use this research as a great reason to over-indulge. The link between a few extra pounds and a longer life is far from certain.
More like this in Science · Jul 7, 2009
18 Comments
Add Your Comment
ADVERTISING
New
- FROM DIET BLOG
- On-Off Fasting: Does It Work?
- 400 Calorie Fix
- 5 Factor World Diet
- Quick Giveaway: Powerhouse Weight Loss Game
- FORUM
- Low Carb Atkins Diet- Tips to Cut the Carbs.
- How Can I Gain a Healthy Weight and Keep it?
- How Do I Eat Healthy at University?
- Starving Myself and Exercising, But Not Losing an Ounce?
Categories
| Body Image Celebrities Diet Pills Diets Exercise |
Fast Food Funny Stuff Success Stories Teens and Kids Tips and Tools |
RSS Feed
Follow @DietBlog on Twitter
I don't put much stock in a study that looked at only 1,326 people. The reliable studies on this issue examine data on 20,000+.
A BMI of 30 or higher defines “obesity” and indicates high risk for poor health, regardless of death rates. About 30 percent of us are obese. At a BMI of 35 and above, the incidence of death and disease increases sharply.
If we look only at older U.S.Americans, over 65–75 years old, being overweight, but not obese, seems to prolong life on average. Longest life spans are seen in these older people with a body mass index between 25 and 30.
Disability rates are lowest for older Americans with a BMI around 24. So, if you are over 65, you may have less disability at a body mass index of 24, but you may die slightly earlier that someone with a BMI in the overweight range. These numbers, of course, apply only to groups of people defined by BMI, not to individuals.
-Steve
ReplyIn other words, a little bit-o junk in the trunk won't hurt ya?
ReplyYou lost me at "BMI".
ReplySorry, Trent. Go to NutritionData.com and see the BMI calculator on the right side of the home page.
Roughly, BMI is a measure of how fat someone is (or isn't). Of course, it's not perfect.
[BMI is weight in kilogram divided by height in meters squared.]
ReplyOh, I know what BMI is, but I just don't take it as a serious measure of one's health. I understand that it is useful for categorizing groups of people, but it has little relevance for individuals, particularly physically fit ones. My BMI is 25 which makes me "overweight" (I assure you I am not). Isn't there a better way to measure how "fat" people are, such as waist/height ratio?
ReplyIt is a serious measure of one's health; just not everyone's health; as noted everytime I see BMI mentioned in a reputable source.
ReplyBMI is seriously flawed for a large group of the population. If you're really short and muscular, you could be "normal" according to BMI and yet be underfat for your frame. I know because that's how my body is...when my BMI is at around 19-20, my body fat is still only about 15% and I don't get my period. I have to get to around 21-22 to be at the low end of normal for my body. It's nothing more than a rough estimate used by insurance companies. You're better off getting your body fat measured to get a better picture of how "fat" you are.
ReplyWho knows on these studies.. so damn many of them & then 5-10 years later, they say something different. As for the low BMI, how many in there might have had eating disorders or the like....
Me, my BMI is low for my age but I am not unhealthy.. in fact, I weigh a lot more than most people think due to my muscle weight which should protect my bones & more as I age.
I think I will just keep doing what I am doing in keep this one on the back burner for now.
ReplyBMI is highly flawed... you can be pure muscle and considered obese according to BMI. Maybe, all those living longer had more muscle mass from a more active lifesytle.
The underweight situation is no surprise.
ReplyI don't understand why people are so opposed to using the BMI as a tool. Of course if you're an athlete or lift weights, it's going to be off. But for the average person who gets little to no exercise and eats a diet that is, shall we say, less than optimal, it's a reasonable measure. Unless he/she was the one in a million person born with significant muscle mass that has not deteriorated from atrophy, it's useful.
ReplyI agree with Katie. I don't exercise, unless you call chasing two young kids around exercise, but I eat healthy and recently got to a healthy BMI. For me, it's a good measure because I'm not a muscular person and don't pump iron.
ReplyHow can you be 73% more likely to die than a person of a normal weight? Everyone will die. Are you 73% more likely to die at any given time? 73% more likely to die ten years younger? We seem to be missing something here ...
ReplyGood catch, Ann.
The study involved adults over the course of 12 years. Let's say the death rate for people at healthy BMI was 3 in 1000 over the 12 years of observation. [I'm making up "3" - I don't know the actual death rate.]
ReplyIf the odds of death for BMI under 18.5 is 73% higher, then the death rate for that group would be approximately 5 out of every thousand over the course of 12 years.
I can't help but notice that the study was done in Canada - I have to wonder if the results would hold up for people living in a warmer climate. I'm being serious - I can see how having a bit of extra weight, especially for older people, could be a real health benefit when the temperature can stay below 0F for weeks to months at a time.
ReplyI gained 20 pounds while waiting to get and then rehabbing a new knee. I LOVE to bicycle and carrying 20 extra pounds is interfering. So I'm doing 2 things
Reply(1) Back to Weight Watchers because it's sensible. I'm making myself go to meetings and track my eating.
(2) I began rereading the prayers in GRACE ON THE GO: Quick Prayers for Determined Dieters. Here is a prayer after succombing to temptation: "Failure is not the same as quitting. Thought I may have failed, I will not quit. Strengthen me, Lord, as I start again."
My guess is that a lot of the underweight people had lost weight due to illness. Totally different than being thin due to intentional calorie restriction and exercise.
ReplyHow do you know for sure what your BMI is unless you get scientifically tested.
I knew a woman who was 5'4" and weighed 105 lbs. You would have thought her BMI would be low. When she had a dexa-scan ( a total body bone density scan), she found out that she was 35% fat. That is considered obese and you would never have thought this slight woman was obese.
Of course, she did something about it and then helped others do the same.
My second thought is we are all going to die one day. This article doesn't give any by whens for any of the categories mentioned or any predictions for longevity. So what are they basing this on age wise?
ReplyI'd rather live 10-15 years longer with a strong, muscular body then with a fat, weak body attached to oxygen at the end. I'd rather be 85 years old, and die suddenly after a vigorous workout then anything else.
Reply