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Obesity Paradox: Health benefits to being overweight?
Replies
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As one article pointed out there are factors we just do not know about yet perhaps.1
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Firstly, there is a difference in overweight and obese. It's pretty easy to be a few lbs overweight and remain healthy if you exercise regularly.
I bet dollars to donuts every person with a squat booty at my gym is in the overweight BMI category. They look trim but technically tip the scales.2 -
i'm betting the "overweight" category they're referring to is people 5 or 10 lbs over normal weight parameters, not 50+. I'm betting too, those people work on fitness and good nutrition. I could see a person on the heavier end of normal, or plus a few lbs, who exercises, possibly having health benefits. I also bet the term "obesity paradox" is an attention-getter, and they really do mean "overweight by a few lbs, but otherwise healthy and active".0
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Things to remember:
A max BMI of 27 used to be considered in the healthy weight range - it was lowered to 25 in the 90s.
The chart was used by insurance companies to divide up their policy holders and charge appropriately.
Using population statistics is different from an individual. Keys - the guy who wrote a paper on using BMI for population studies - never wanted it to be used for individuals.
When an overweight or obese person comes into a doctor's office with high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart problems - they're told to change their lifestyle (obvious first line of attack) - easy identified cause. When a thin/healthy person is in the same situation - and diet isn't the (obvious) cause, then it falls to genetics - maybe not so much can be done.
Muscle mass. Muscles are good for you. Thin people tend to have less muscle.
Fat can protect you during bad diseases. If you've got an illness (I'm thinking pneumonia)... having a bit of energy stored up can help you survive.
Isn't there a movement to use waist measurements instead of BMI? I thought they were supposed to be more accurate at predicting longevity (for population and individuals).
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Vetticus_3 wrote: »Things to remember:
A max BMI of 27 used to be considered in the healthy weight range - it was lowered to 25 in the 90s.
The chart was used by insurance companies to divide up their policy holders and charge appropriately.
Using population statistics is different from an individual. Keys - the guy who wrote a paper on using BMI for population studies - never wanted it to be used for individuals.
When an overweight or obese person comes into a doctor's office with high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart problems - they're told to change their lifestyle (obvious first line of attack) - easy identified cause. When a thin/healthy person is in the same situation - and diet isn't the (obvious) cause, then it falls to genetics - maybe not so much can be done.
Muscle mass. Muscles are good for you. Thin people tend to have less muscle.
Fat can protect you during bad diseases. If you've got an illness (I'm thinking pneumonia)... having a bit of energy stored up can help you survive.
Isn't there a movement to use waist measurements instead of BMI? I thought they were supposed to be more accurate at predicting longevity (for population and individuals).
Exactly !!!!!!!!! The BMI chart does not account for age. At almost 60 it is impossible and not healthy to weigh what I did at 21. My weight lifter son by the BMI chart is overweight but he is strong and fit!0 -
Pinkylee77 wrote: »Vetticus_3 wrote: »Things to remember:
A max BMI of 27 used to be considered in the healthy weight range - it was lowered to 25 in the 90s.
The chart was used by insurance companies to divide up their policy holders and charge appropriately.
Using population statistics is different from an individual. Keys - the guy who wrote a paper on using BMI for population studies - never wanted it to be used for individuals.
When an overweight or obese person comes into a doctor's office with high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart problems - they're told to change their lifestyle (obvious first line of attack) - easy identified cause. When a thin/healthy person is in the same situation - and diet isn't the (obvious) cause, then it falls to genetics - maybe not so much can be done.
Muscle mass. Muscles are good for you. Thin people tend to have less muscle.
Fat can protect you during bad diseases. If you've got an illness (I'm thinking pneumonia)... having a bit of energy stored up can help you survive.
Isn't there a movement to use waist measurements instead of BMI? I thought they were supposed to be more accurate at predicting longevity (for population and individuals).
Exactly !!!!!!!!! The BMI chart does not account for age. At almost 60 it is impossible and not healthy to weigh what I did at 21. My weight lifter son by the BMI chart is overweight but he is strong and fit!
It does, actually. There's an official sliding scale of BMI underweight/normal/overweight/obese thresholds adjusted for age. See cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html1 -
Yes, I tried to make this fact known here on mfp a couple of years ago and got totally blastd for it.
Also, I would rather be in the oveweight category than the low normal category if an ebola pandemic took place!
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My hair game was tight when I was fat. I had long, shiny, luscious locks and my nails grew fast and my skin was glowy. That was the only benefit I saw/felt.0
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Alluminati wrote: »My hair game was tight when I was fat. I had long, shiny, luscious locks and my nails grew fast and my skin was glowy. That was the only benefit I saw/felt.
Are you saying this is not the case eating your current macro?0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »Alluminati wrote: »My hair game was tight when I was fat. I had long, shiny, luscious locks and my nails grew fast and my skin was glowy. That was the only benefit I saw/felt.
Are you saying this is not the case eating your current macro?
no. that's not what i'm saying.0 -
Glad your current macro did not take away those benefits.
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When macros attack.1
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Pinkylee77 wrote: »Vetticus_3 wrote: »Things to remember:
A max BMI of 27 used to be considered in the healthy weight range - it was lowered to 25 in the 90s.
The chart was used by insurance companies to divide up their policy holders and charge appropriately.
Using population statistics is different from an individual. Keys - the guy who wrote a paper on using BMI for population studies - never wanted it to be used for individuals.
When an overweight or obese person comes into a doctor's office with high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart problems - they're told to change their lifestyle (obvious first line of attack) - easy identified cause. When a thin/healthy person is in the same situation - and diet isn't the (obvious) cause, then it falls to genetics - maybe not so much can be done.
Muscle mass. Muscles are good for you. Thin people tend to have less muscle.
Fat can protect you during bad diseases. If you've got an illness (I'm thinking pneumonia)... having a bit of energy stored up can help you survive.
Isn't there a movement to use waist measurements instead of BMI? I thought they were supposed to be more accurate at predicting longevity (for population and individuals).
Exactly !!!!!!!!! The BMI chart does not account for age. At almost 60 it is impossible and not healthy to weigh what I did at 21. My weight lifter son by the BMI chart is overweight but he is strong and fit!
It does, actually. There's an official sliding scale of BMI underweight/normal/overweight/obese thresholds adjusted for age. See cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html[/quote
It is for adults over 20 not really adjusted for "older" adults. There is a different scale for kids.0
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