Contrary to the widely held belief that it is healthier to be slim, researchers in Japan found that the life expectancy of the overweight at 40 was six years longer than that of their thinner counterparts.
Those who were slimmer were also at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the major study, conducted over a ten-year period by scientists at Tohoku University.
Researchers examined the health, weight and life expectancy of 44,000 people aged between 40 and 79 living in the Miyagi Prefecture region of Japan, Kyodo News reported.
People were divided into four categories based on their body mass index (BMI) – including underweight, normal, overweight and obese – before scientists calculated their life expectancy.
The study found that among those aged 40, the overweight category topped the polls in terms of the longest life expectancy, with expectations of an average of 40.5 extra years for men and 47 years for women.
Those classed as “normal” weight followed closely behind, with 38.7 additional years expected among men and 46.3 among women, the study showed.
However, researchers found that those defined as slim were bottom in terms of life expectancy, with 33.8 further years predicted among men and 41.1 among women.
Health concerns surrounding the slimmest also eclipsed those of the overweight, with higher risks of heart disease and other illnesses as they age, according to Masato Nagai, a graduate student involved in the research.
“Those who are too slim are reportedly said to be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to develop pneumonia as nutritional deficiency lowers their resistive force,” he said.
Being overweight has long been associated with the increased risk of a raft of diseases, ranging from diabetes to strokes.
However, the health implications of being too slim are also increasingly highlighted in scientific studies.
Last month, Danish researchers found that those with slim thighs measuring a circumference of less than 23 inches were at greater risk of heart disease and death.
{The Telegraph/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
This is to all you “hefty” ppl (like me) that will read this and say “so i dont need to lose weight” (not like me), thats wrong, it is still extremely unhealthy to be overweight, its just “now” (this was actually known for a while) it is also clear that underweight is also unhealthy.
Did you ever see what the Japanese call overweight? Haha
It should be known that the original recommended weights (“BMI”) were changed in the ’90’s so that the same weight (mine, for instance) that was “normal” before instantly became “overweight” and “underweight” became “normal.” Just to be expected in our thinness-obsessed culture. So don’t be fooled – when they’re talking about “overweight” they really mean “normal.” That means those with substantial fat around the middle are still more at risk for lots of unpleasant stuff.
However, it’s still just as important to exercise. So walk briskly three times a week for at least 20 minutes and skip the second helping of pizza.
finally, someone with a head! 😉
Nothing concrete was said in the report; it said their calculated life expectancy, but how can one base conclusions on their calculations as to what they expect a person to live when they are still alive?
What are the results when the overweight are excessive cell-phone users?