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Doc says “Overweight may not be the problem we thought it was...”
Posted by SweetViolet • 7/05/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: bmi, Fat, health, obesity, overweight, thin
According to the NY Times, a new 12-year study of more that 11,000 Canadian adults has come to the conclusion that a little overweight is a good thing. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Obesity.
"...people who were underweight, with a B.M.I. under 18.5, were more likely to die than those of average weight. Their risk of dying was 73 percent higher than that of normal weight people, while the risk of dying for those who were overweight [BMI 25 to 29.9] was 17 percent lower than for people of normal weight."
See the article here: www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/health/26weight.html?ex=1262059200&en=85bc95bb34...
How does knowing that being overweight has a positive effect on your health and lifespan affect you and your attitudes about weight?
User Comments
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Sounds like I'm in deep s**t. Seeing as I'm skinny enough to pass through the eye of a needle.-
I'm kinda at the opposite end of the spectrum!
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I don't think much about the study. It seems that they always change results. Darned if you do darned if you don't.-
Well, we've been going along with this "conventional wisdom" for a number of years that being skinny was good for us, all the while these Canadians were being studied...and now the results are in.]
In truth, this doesn't surprise me. I used to be very thin...I was a dancer and had trouble keeping weight on, even though I was eating about 4000 calories a day. During that time in my life, I was cold all of the time (my feet and hands were freezing even when I lived in Tucson) and I caught every germ that came around...I had a cold almost constantly.
Then I quit dancing and got a sedentary job and put on some weight. The more weight I gained, the less I got sick. I got to the point that I would go two or more years between colds, even though I had kids in school who brought home germs and I worked outside the home with people who brought their kids' germs to work with them.
But it's nice to have it confirmed that being a bit on the plump side is actually healthy!
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- New Strategies To Prevent Childhood Obesity
ScienceDaily (June 23, 2009) — Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) recently present new findings and strategies for combating childhood obesity at the 5th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference, held June 9-12 in Los Angeles.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090610091347.htm
Local Food Environments Can Lead To Obesity
ScienceDaily (June 19, 2009) — Living in an area with more fast food outlets and convenience stores than supermarkets and grocers has been associated with obesity in a Canadian study. Researchers have shown that your local food environment can affect your weight. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090617201800.htm
Mom’s Weight During Pregnancy Affects Her Daughter’s Risk Of Being Obese
ScienceDaily (July 5, 2009) — A mother’s weight and the amount she gains during pregnancy both impact her daughter’s risk of obesity decades later, according to a new study by Alison Stuebe, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090703110637.htm -
There's so many factors to being overweight, like lifestyle, eating habits, digestive issues versus cardiovascular issues and so on. Ie. there was a comparison study (cardiovascular) that compared 10 kilograms of excess weight to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day; that is the strain on the heart was roughly comparable.
And the definition of being over weight can also vary quite a lot depending on who's talking, but as long as a person is not obese, then I would probably agree that a few "excess" pounds wouldn't cause that many problems. -
Yes, I heard of this new concept on obesity. May be if you are a little overweight with good cholesterol doing the good things to your body. -
At the end of the day we all know that nutrition and exercise are the best chances of improving or maintaining our health... -
I'm always a little underweight but I keep fit, eat mostly good for me foods, and for an old broad I'm not so bad. When you're shorter like me you tend to be lighter. I can out eat the men in my house and not gain a pound. I've always been that way.-
- I can out eat the men in my house and not gain a pound. I've always been that way.
Me too. -
my younger son inherited it from me. He wrestled 96 both junior and senior years of HS without too much trouble. He can eat round the clock and not gain at all. We just seem to burn it off quickly.
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- With a few exceptions, the members of my family are slender and have high metabolic rates. Most are also tall. I'm the shortest female among my siblings and my cousins and my extended family members at 5' 6". My sister, mom, aunts and my female cousins are all 5' 9" and taller.
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I think it's great to know that it's not as bad as they thought, but it's still pretty bad. I think as a rule people should eat healthy and exercise and keep their weight at the "normal" BMI range. Personally, my motives for not being overweight have nothing to do with health and everything to do with the fact that I like to shop. That is honestly the MAIN reason I like to stay in the 130-135 range or less, simply because I like to wear whatever I want.
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Normal BMI tops out at 24.9. The study said that BMI between 25 and 29.9 is healthier as people with "normal" BMI have a 17% higher riskof dying than people in the 25 to 29.9 range.
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I do also want to state that balance is totally key. You shouldn't base your actions towards your health on some study of other people. Let your doctor study YOU and tell YOU what level of weight is appropriate. Like Shiley said, these kinds of studies come out all the time..I'd hate to be 50 lbs overweight when the "Ooops" study comes out reversing these findings.
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Your doctor gets his information from these studies. This was a longterm (12 year) study of a huge population (11,000+) of Westerners that was published in a peer-reviewed journal. It is the "gold standard" of study protocol.
And it is your BMI that is germane here, not your poundage. -
Well specifics aside...I highly doubt just because you have a higher BMI that your going to live longer. I'm sure other factors are at play there. Obesity is still one of the highest preventable deaths in the US. I don't personally live in Canada, but perhaps there are reigional factors that make this true for them. I still think people should stay healthy, eat healthy and stay active. No study should waver anyone from wanting to do that.
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adding weight to more weight will definitely be a problem, slightly overweight can happen when you up your intake in a controlled manner, if someone gains weight just by inhaling oxygen then one needs to follow the regular therapies. Though the research sounds good, but staying healthy, I mean your Hg's, BP, Cholestrol, Insulin under control along with your weight is healthy. Weight or no weight you need to control what you want to be I think my attitude will be. -
What I really object to is doctors knowing being overweight causes problems,
and then when someone comes in with an ailment, blaming them being overweight. Just deal with the sodding problem. (I am not overwight, just think this is a cheap cop out doctors make).
Especially when they'll blame being overwight, but do nothing to help people lose weight until they know its hindering their health. It's backwards. -
well... I guess I am okay then... I am slightly underweight but have a higher than normal BMI due to child rearing. -
Do you think being overweight looks good or gives good appearance ?Set aside the results of research .-
I think it actually depends on the person.
I've seen some guys who LOOK better with a little pudge on them - and girls too!
I've also seen some guys and girls who look good thinner...
It just depends on the person. -
I am more attracted to men with a little weight. Call me shallow but I wont look twice at a thin man, am unattracted to overly muscular men and seem to gravitate towards those that are stocky. Not chubby, but solid.
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I think that without knowing who they studied, and why the people were overweight/thin/normal and why they had higher/lower health problems it's not a call anyone can make.
A person who is overweight because they eat nothing but junkfood and sit on their rear end all day will not be healthier than a person who eats a variety of foods, and moves even a moderate amount daily. Also a person who is "skinny" because they have anorexia nervosa or Bulemia will not be healthier than an average person.
On the otherhand, a person who is naturally on the heavier side will be healthier than a person who should naturally be on the thinner side but is "normal" because they consume fatty saturated fat laden foods all day, etc and so forth.
A solid look at genetics needs to be taken into account first, as well. A person whose family has a history of heart disease or diabetes etc will be more prone to health problems VS a normal person regardless of their weight.
In other words - eating healthy foods, and making sure you use your body daily as more than a garbage disposal isn't going to be bad for you. Only you and your doctor can really decide if your weight is OK or not. -
I'd also like to point out that BMI is a crappy measurement of health. BMI results can fluctuate a great deal depending on your muscle to fat ratio. Body builders have high BMI's even though they have very little fat.
A combination of weight, BMI and body fat percentage should be used to see if your body is within a healthy range or not. (And measurements, measurements are a great tool for keeping track of your weight/health).
According to my BMI - I'm morbidly obese. I have a 32 inch waist, and a lot of muscle. I'm no where near obese, morbid or otherwise
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Carrying a few extra pounds is not going to kill you unless your diet is full of animal fat....
The best thing still it to be eat healthy and get a good amount of physical exercise.
What they are calling a little overweight is probably normal weight anyway...that scale changes every ten years, whenever someone decided to waste money on a new study. Most of the data they use on these studies is extrapolated data, what we need to worry about is the specific diseases where they have found direct correlation.-
With a study of 12 years and a population of 11,000+ adults, there is no need to extrapolate anything. That's why I called this the "gold standard" of protocols.
They have found that people with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 have a 17% LOWER risk of death than people in the normal range (18.5 to 24.9), and that people below the normal range have a 73% HIGHER risk of death. -
Now obviously they don't mean "lower risk of death" ...death is iminent...we ALL DIE eventually. So do they mean they live a few years longer? How much longer?
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Humm,
That is extrapolated data, it was based on examining the relationship between body mass index and death among 11,326 adults in Canada over a 12-year period using data from the National Population Health Survey.
The only thing the study really means is that they might want to change the "normal weight". There is no direct correlation because nor were they followed medically in a comprehensive way over 12 years of time.
You are still more likely to die from being obese, you are just at least according to this study less likely to die if you are slightly overweight than if you are underweight, They probably just need to change the "normal weight".
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Many studies are released every year, most with varying results, some with even totally contrasting results. Do you not agree that some studies even hold a moral dilemma - releasing a report that excess weight is not bad for you may discourage those with actual health issues from exercising?
And the same rules should always apply to studies like this, as do to other academic studies. One should always read the entire report, even if these "results" are the findings of the studies, there is a big lot of other information in the report that affects the outcome. Anyway, a lot of blabla
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Read the article.
It gives a specific BMI range in which one's risk of death is the lowest, and that range is above what is currently considered "normal." It neither says nor implies that being obese is a good thing, but it does demonstrate that being UNDERWEIGHT carries a 73% greater risk of morbidity than normal weight...and that overweight up to a BMI of 29.9 gives you an additional 17% reduced risk.
I used to work in companies that did studies (different subject matter, though) so I know how such studies are conducted. The longer the study and the larger the study population, the lower the margin for error. This was 12 years and more than 11,000 people...no need for extrapolation and a sufficient time and population to get good data.
It is always best to actually read what you are arguing against beforehand, so read the NYT article...it contains a link to the published article in the peer-reviewed journal. If you have issues with the results of the study, you can then take it up with the authors. I am just the messenger. -
I'd like to note that there is a difference between being just the messenger and being an advocate.
As for my two cents: medical studies are best interpreted by medical professionals. -
@ SweetViolet
You stated some of this already above, but I wasn't really arguing against this study, since I have not read the actual research. I was simply pointing out that there are a wide range of studies with varying results published every year, some simply get more attention by references and media than others. In many ways these results seem logical.
And I also agree with Anok, the BMI alone can be quite the sided measure of health.
I've too read the article, but not the actual study. Actually I read the article before hand, I love reading the times in the morning.. I was just wondering what the effects of the demographic studied might be, since this is a canadian study and different countries often have different arrays of tendencies toward different health issues. But anyway, I was just thinking out loud.
"He 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."
^ That is also an interesting point.
Ps. The actual times article was quite brief, but I can probably dig up the published article in a uni database. -
That is exactly what has been done. The study was interpreted by medical professionals and the results published in Obesity, a peer-reviewed journal. The New York Times, a well-regarded newspaper, has published an article about the study with the salient points included and a link to the original "interpretation," the Obesity article.
FWIW, I forwarded a copy of the article to a dietitian of my acquaintance and here is her reply: "Wow, that is most interesting - thanks!" Like most medical professionals, she understands study protocols and appreciates the value of the study, and is undoubtedly immersed in the journal article as I type. Note, however, that with all her knowledge, experience, and training, she has not rejected it out-of-hand as so many have done here. -
There are too many factors involved in human health for a single study to be anything more than an incomplete snapshot, no matter how huge the sample group or how long the time.
Even though this study should not be "rejected out of hand" it ought not be accepted unquestioningly as the "gold standard" either. Please leave it to the doctors to do the real science and interpretation of this study, rather than laypersons advocating for a pet cause.
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@Freshtunesfinland
The link I provided goes to an online NYT article that contains a link to the original journal article.-
SV, I have to ask though, even doctors know that BMI is a poor standard for health. It is a base guideline, and nothing more. Why would they base such an extensive study on it, and consider it a gold standard?
BMI does nothing more but take into account your height and weight. Not muscle, not fat, and not heart rates and cardio vascular health - just height and weight. I don't understand why they would base their studies on t hat - particularly when now doctors also make sure to measure your body fat percentage to get a better idea if you are in a healthy range or not. (For adult women, the range is between 18%-25%, and for men, a little bit less than that). -
Regardless of some study presented in Canada based on the questionable denominator, the BMI...the fact still remains. Being obese is unhealthy. It causes heart problems, increases the chances of becoming a diabetic as well as a slew of other deadly health problems. This study could be interpreted in many ways, and I don't see why one would set out to prove that being overweight is in anyway healthier than being of normal weight. I would really like to know what kind of death being overweight is preventing.
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tell that to the obese lady who got turned down when she wanted to ride at the fair.
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