Being Fat Is ''The New Thin''

[DeSwiss]

Finally, news I can REALLY use......

Now Doctors Say It's Good to be OVERWEIGHT

By David Usborne, The Independent UK
Posted November 13, 2007.



After years of anti-obesity public health advice, a major new study causes an outcry by concluding that the moderately overweight live longer. A startling new study by medical researchers in the United States has caused consternation among public health professionals by suggesting that, contrary to conventional wisdom, being overweight might actually be beneficial for health.

The study, published yesterday in the respected Journal of the American Medical Association, runs counter to almost all other advice to consumers by saying that carrying a little extra flab -- though not too much -- might help people to live longer.

Struggling dieters, used to being told that staying thin is the best prescription for longevity, are likely to be confused this morning if not heartily relieved. While being a bit overweight may indeed increase your chances of dying from diabetes and kidney disease -- conditions that are often linked with one another -- the same is not true for a host of other ailments including cancer and heart disease, the report suggests.

In fact, scanning the whole gamut of diseases that could curtail your life, being over weight is, on balance, a good thing. The bottom line, the scientists say, is that modestly overweight people demonstrate a lower death rate than their peers who are underweight, obese or -- most surprisingly -- normal weight.

http://alternet.org/healthwellness/67692/">MORE

- I'll be right back. I'm going to McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. And then the Cheesecake Factory for dessert....

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. The key being a LITTLE flab

Carrying a lot of extra fat, as far too many Americans do, is still very unhealthy. What this study underlines is that being underweight is unhealthy too, which has been known for decades.

[fasttense]

2. This was proven years ago.

A study done 20 years ago also came up with the same conclusions. It seems the little extra fat protects people when they get ill so that they are not eating up their muscles and organs when they need extra energy to fight off disease. This little extra is particularly beneficial for the elderly and the very young. That twenty year old study was ignored because of the mice study that showed mice live longer if they were 10 to 20% underweight. The problem is/was the mice were not exposed to the viruses and bacterium we are exposed to everyday.

Everything old is new again. Seems if you live long enough, the same things are "discovered" over and over again.

I always say two types of humans look sickly if they are thin - babies and the elderly.

[Quantess]

3. The key phrase is "little extra fat", not 10, not 40 points over your BMI

That doesn't mean hanging rolls. That means a squishy spot here and there.
99% of all Americans have no shortage of "a little extra fat".

[CountAllVotes]

6. very true

I'm living proof. I've recently been very ill and lost 18 lbs. in 4 weeks. I now weigh what I weighed when I graduated from High School. Yikes. I had not planned to lose this much weight but being very ill for several weeks will cause one to lose quite a bit very fast esp. when on a very restricted diet besides.

I've got a way to go still but I am better now but I am still losing weight being I'm still on the highly restricted diet.

Thank god for those extra 20 lbs.!

:kick:

[Zywiec]

7. You're correct that restricting your diet allows one to lose weight

Many disagree and believe even when restricting your diet you can actually gain weight.

Hope you feel better.

[RiverStone]

4. a little fat is healthy, but

a lot is not.

And remember there are good and bad fats. Fried foods = all bad!

[AndyTiedye]

9. Nothing Wrong With Stir Fry in Olive Oil

[Matariki]

5. But we're influened by hollywood culture where 'normal' is considered fat

Where Janeane Garofalo and Kevin Spacey are supposed to be 'fat'.

[Quantess]

8. True. But "normal" keeps getting bigger.

I've stayed the same weight over the past 20 years. At one time, I was pretty much the same size as other women, but now I'm slimmer than average. My measurements stay the same, but my clothing size gets smaller every couple of years.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. My husband and I just had physicals

at which we were both chided for our "overweightness" -- my husband for THREE POUNDS and me for 10. He couldn't stop saying "portion control," "portion control," even though I tried to tell him that I know for a fact that I eat no more than 1800 calories a day.

I'm tired of this one-size-fits-all BMI bullshit. This article is indeed good news, and I hope the doctor took note.

[AndyTiedye]

11. BMI Makes No Distinction Between Fat and Muscle

Anyone who is reasonably active is likely to be branded as "overweight" on a BMI basis,
even if the amount of actual body fat is very small.

All bodybuilders would be considered "obese" on a BMI basis.

[Zywiec]

12. Yes, I'm sure most people with a high BMI have muscle and not fat.

At least from what I can see walking around the mall.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Agreed.

We walked over 20 miles a week this summer and are now doing 30 minutes a day on the elliptical since snow covers our walking trail. Very little red meat, no fried food or sweets to speak of. Lots of veggies. Neither of us has been sick in years. All our "levels" look good. I'm just not going to bother myself worrying about this anymore. I plan to live to 93.