Two years ago Katherine M. Flegal, a re­search­er at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, did a new statistical analysis of national survey data on obesity and came to a startling conclusion: mildly overweight adults had a lower risk of dying than those at so-called healthy weights.

Decades of research and thousands of studies have suggested precisely the opposite: that being even a little overweight is bad and that being obese is worse. The distinction between overweight and obese—which are sometimes both classified under the rubric of obesity—can be confusing. It relates to the measure called body mass index (BMI), derived by dividing one’s weight in kilograms by the square of one’s height in meters. A myriad of Internet-based calculators will handle the math for you. The only thing to remember is that a BMI of at least 25 but less than 30 is considered overweight, and one of 30 or more is characterized as obese.

This article was originally published with the title Can Fat Be Fit?.

3 Comments

1. 1. healthwriter 04:14 PM 12/23/07

   This study is enlightening indeed. But we should keep in mind the study found those who are "mildly overweight" can be as healthy and even have a lower mortality rate than thinner people. Okay?
   That's mildly overweight--not obese or morbidly obese.

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2. 2. sugarpie12 09:57 PM 2/22/08

   are low income people most likely to be obese?

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3. 3. Anson 11:18 AM 9/11/08

   Were the over weight people smokers and chronically ill also? If you remove the smokers and chronically ill from the thin group, you should also do the same for the overweight!
   
   I belive the activity level and proper nutrition of the individual, along with family history are larger factors.... Not weight.

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