Can You Be Healthy at Any Size?

It’s not that your weight doesn’t matter. It’s just that it’s not the only thing that matters

By Nutrition Diva Monica Reinagel

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

Is carrying a few extra pounds really as big a deal as everyone makes it out to be?

It’s true that body weight is strongly correlated with the risk of various diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. But there are numerous other indicators as well, including blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fats, and inflammation. Some have argued that you can be overweight and still be considered “metabolically healthy” if these other risk factors are normal.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Not true, according to a new study. Even for those with normal blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, simply being overweight increased the risk of heart disease by 28 percent. “We conclude that there is no such thing as being healthy obese,” said lead researcher Camille Lassalle.

This was a bit of a setback for those who advocate an approach known as Health at Every Size.

What is Health at Every Size?

The Health at Every Size movement promotes acceptance and appreciation of one’s body, even if you’re overweight. It encourages overweight people to shift their focus from losing weight to other healthy habits, such as eating healthy foods and getting more exercise. I’ve noticed more nutrition professionals getting on board the Health at Every Size bandwagon and I think I understand some of the reasons why.

Weight is Just a Number

First, it is true that the number on the scale does not tell the whole story about your health.

Body weight and body mass index (BMI) doesn’t take into account body composition. A very muscular person may have a BMI that’s considered overweight or obese, when they are no such thing. On the flip side of the coin, someone with a low BMI may still have a high amount of visceral fat—the so-called “skinny-fat” phenomonen—which increases disease risk.

It’s worth pointing out that the conventional criteria for healthy body weight are based primarily on Caucasian body types and may not be appropriate for people of all races and ethnicities.

»Continue reading “Can You Be Healthy at Any Size?” on QuickAndDirtyTips.com

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American