[Darteaus94025]

It's true. And, in a similar study, getting shot in the head does not always cause death.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I think they prolly don’t mean 400 lbs overweight.

[Gay State Conservative]

It's been explained to me in some detail,by a physician,what determines longevity.He says that genes often play a notable role in determining it.IMO...and I'm not a physician...excess weight,over time,could well shorten what,otherwise,would have been your likely lifespan.So if all important factors *except* your weight might have destined you to reach 90 but you were 50 pounds overweight from your 40th to your 65th birthday you might only hit 80.Given that the average (or is it median?) age of death for Americans is something like 78 you'd be considered to have been unharmed,longevity-wise,by your obesity when,in fact,you *were* harmed.

Until I hit 40 I was of normal weight for my height (180).Then I began to struggle and have fluctuated wildly...from 50 pounds overweight to 10 pounds overweight (and back and forth and back and forth).I've been told that that excess weight has caused noticeable,but not devastating,damage to my heart and kidneys.And I was told this by three different doctors all of whom are senior staff members at a major Boston hospital (the same one for which I worked for 20+ years).

[Sooth2222]

"A team led by Katherine Flegal, an epidemiologist at the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, reported that people deemed 'overweight' by international standards were 6% less likely to die than were those of 'normal' weight over the same time period."

That's a somewhat skewed observation, because individuals in the last stages of AIDS and the last stages of cancer tend to rapidly lose weight, not become overweight and obese. That said, a few pounds overweight (not obese) probably doesn't amount to much if any risk. Lack of exercise, smoking -- and sitting at a computer all day probably poses a much higher risk.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

There’s hope for me yet.

[exDemMom]

Interesting.

I notice that the lowest death rates are still in the “normal” BMI range, until people reach their 60s. Even at age 70, the lowest death rate is only at BMI of about 27—just slightly overweight.

This study is not a free ticket to stuff oneself with hamburgers and fries every day.

[goodwithagun]

Now that we producers must pay even more for the takers’ healthcare, being overweight is okay. Insulin, knee replacements, artery roto-rootering, etc. for free (for them).

[neverdem]

What they are trying to explain is the reason for the paradox. One hint lies in the growing number of studies over the past decade showing that in people with serious illnesses such as heart disease, emphysema and type 2 diabetes, those who are overweight have the lowest death rates.

--snip--

Genetic and metabolic factors may also be at play. Last year, Mercedes Carnethon, a preventive-medicine researcher at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, reported that adults who develop type 2 diabetes while they are of normal weight are twice as likely to die over a given period as those who are overweight or obese11. Carnethon says that the trend is probably driven by a subset of people who are thin yet 'metabolically obese': they have high levels of insulin and triglycerides in their blood, which puts them at a higher risk for developing diabetes and heart disease.

FReepmail me if you want on or off the diabetes ping list.

[jdege]

There is a strong association between obesity and quite a number of diseases. But correlation is not causation.

For forty years, now, the low-carbers have been claiming that obesity isn’t a cause, it’s a symptom. That most people who are significantly overweight have metabolic disfunctions that result in obesity, lethargy, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, diabetes, etc.

And yes, there are some people who have these metabolic disfunctions who are not visibly overweight. But they share most of the other symptoms. What Mary Vernon calls “metabooically obese”. And these people have risks of heart disease and stroke that are just as high as those who are obese in the normal sense.

So it should be of no surprise that if you control for the other metabolic symptoms, obesity in and of itself does not present a significant risk.

People who are overweight are at higher risk of heart disease because they are overweight, they are at higher risk for heart disease because the metabolic disfunction that cause their obesity also causes other problems.

[bert]

Overweight is being heavier than some fixed standard.

Being over that weight as one ages is natural and good. The extra weight is stored food and insurance against famine.

The porblem is prolonged obesity. Prolonged obesity causes failure of various systems that can be mortal

[SaraJohnson]

I had cancer and was skinny going in. We always had to worry about me not losing weight and becoming weak. The fatter people did not have this issue on top of everything else.

Everything is not so black and white.

[GOPJ]

Some studies show being slightly overweight is healthier.

Now Republicans can go into public schools and insist schools add high calorie foods to lunch menus. We must 'do it for the children'. Isn't that the excuse liberals use?

I'm sure liberals won't object to us pushing our ideas of 'healthy' on their kids. /s