Healthy and Overweight a Myth?

_Zardoz_

interesting article on BBC website.[url] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25118857[/url]

The idea of "healthy obesity" is a myth, research suggests.

Excess fat still carries health risks even when cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar levels are normal, according to a study of more than 60,000 people.

It has been argued that being overweight does not necessarily imply health risks if individuals remain healthy in other ways.

The research, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, contradicts this idea.

The study looked at findings from more than 1,000 published studies.

“ This really casts doubt on the existence of healthy obesity”

Dr Ravi Retnakaran Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto

Researchers from the Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, found there was no healthy pattern of increased weight when heart health was monitored for more than 10 years.

They argue that people who are metabolically healthy but overweight probably have underlying risk factors that worsen over time.

Study leader Dr Ravi Retnakaran told BBC News: "This really casts doubt on the existence of healthy obesity.

"This data is suggesting that both patients who are obese who are metabolically unhealthy and patients who are obese who are metabolically healthy are both at increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, such that benign obesity may indeed be a myth."

Heart risk

The British Heart Foundation says obesity is a known risk factor for heart disease and the research shows there is no healthy level of obesity.

Senior cardiac nurse, Doireann Maddock, said: "So, even if your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels are normal, being obese can still put your heart at risk."

She said it was useful to think of lifestyle overall rather than individual risk factors.

"As well as watching your weight, if you stop smoking, get regular physical activity and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels at a healthy level, you can make a real difference in reducing your risk of heart disease.

"If you are concerned about your weight and want to know more about the changes you should make, visit your GP to talk it through."

LosingExtraKristy

That makes sense to me. All of my numbers are amazing...but my extra weight is still an added stress to my body. I'm proud that my numbers are so good, because that is one less thing to worry about, but it certainly doesn't mean I don't need to lose the weight. I think if I were to believe I don't need to lose weight because my numbers are healthy...it would just be a blind. I'd be in denial and ignoring the issues I do have.

kathleennf

Good article! Thanks! Just yesterday I read a parallel one on Sermo (website for doctors) about the cardiovascular risks associated with "normal weight obesity" - what we call here on MFP "skinny fat." Yep- we are in the right place!

RhonndaJ

This needed research?

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RhonndaJ

This needed research?

Yes. There are many people that think they are healthy because all the vitals are in check. I've watched extremely heated discussions here from some of them that say their doctors tell them they are in top shape, they run in half marathons, and lift, and they are healthy, just obese. They don't diet. So, they walk around thinking they are healthy. I'm glad this study came out. I hope it's legit and was done properly so people pay attention. I hope it was not done poorly with lots of holes in how they conducted the research.

Clearly I need to start paying more attention to what people talk about because I was pretty much under the impression that if you're obese, you're automatically not healthy.

Now, the definition of obese needs to be clarified since we all know that BMI isn't a good measure.

WalkingAlong

I would say BMI is a good measure for the vast majority of us.

There is a book called Health At Every Size that is a pretty good read.
http://www.amazon.com/Health-At-Every-Size-Surprising/dp/1935618253

gmthisfeller

Yes. There are many people that think they are healthy because all the vitals are in check. I've watched extremely heated discussions here from some of them that say their doctors tell them they are in top shape, they run in half marathons, and lift, and they are healthy, just obese. They don't diet. So, they walk around thinking they are healthy. I'm glad this study came out. I hope it's legit and was done properly so people pay attention. I hope it was not done poorly with lots of holes in how they conducted the research.

+1

It is all about long term effects of obesity. People morbidly obese will need medical intervention sooner than if they were not. They will have shorter lives.

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rml_16

This needed research?

Now I know you know it did! lol Look at some of the people posting around here and all the fat acceptance websites.

I'm all about one's self worth not being tied to appearance/weight. But these same people insist they're perfectly healthy, too -- healthier than thinner people, in fact. It's basiclaly what I was referencing on my wall yesterday.

rml_16

some people in the USA think they are normal, where they are really very overweight. And, when those people look at people that are at a healthy weight, they describe them as frail, skinny, or anorexic.

I'm pretty sure there are people out there who think I'm way too skinny and I'm nowhere near it. I can easily lose at least 40 pounds and still be in a great shape and healthy.

fannyfrost

Being overweight is a strain on the body, exactly how to measure how much extra fat is bad is still controversial. I am overweight, my BMI says Obese, but my body fat ratio is really not as bad as the BMI implies.

At the same time my husband is not overweight and he is not as healthy as I am. He eats poorly, his cholesterol is high and he is flabby and out of shape.

While I think being overweight is not healthy, being skinny does not equal healthy either. Generally I think we need to focus on HEALTH and not just weight. If you eat healthy and exercise, lower calories, balance eventually the extra fat can come off. But just because you are thin, it does not mean you can eat whatever you want. My daughter is Vegan now, never needed to lose weight, but had stomach issues and needed to get healthier to feel better. She is still working on the balance of the right amount of food as she needs to gain some weight now, but being healthy does not always equate to skinny.

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jenny3008

I'm not sure that BMI should be taken as an good indicator of health.

I have a friend who is tall and very fit. He cycles regularly ( minimum 22 miles a day), swims, runs, lifts weights and is strong and muscly. He eats healthily and in appropriate amounts. I'm just jealous I can't eat that much then again I don't get off my *kitten* enough.

He went for a medical at work and they told him he is morbidly obese and needs to go on a serious diet. I'm not kidding this guy is skin, muscle and bone. He has very little body fat.

Now I know that this is an indication of the IQ of the nurse as much as anything else but according to the numbers on the ever important chart yes he is obese and morbidly so.

omma_to_3

This needed research?

Yes. There are many people that think they are healthy because all the vitals are in check. I've watched extremely heated discussions here from some of them that say their doctors tell them they are in top shape, they run in half marathons, and lift, and they are healthy, just obese. They don't diet. So, they walk around thinking they are healthy. I'm glad this study came out. I hope it's legit and was done properly so people pay attention. I hope it was not done poorly with lots of holes in how they conducted the research.

The article didn't mention obese people who get regular (or even excessive) amounts of exercise and have normal vitals. Most obese people do not run in half marathons and lift weights so likely the people in their study did not. The article itself mentions exercise reducing the heart risk. I would say that an obese person that frequently exercises is much, much healthier - including their heart.

LoraF83

This needed research?

Yes. There are many people that think they are healthy because all the vitals are in check. I've watched extremely heated discussions here from some of them that say their doctors tell them they are in top shape, they run in half marathons, and lift, and they are healthy, just obese. They don't diet. So, they walk around thinking they are healthy. I'm glad this study came out. I hope it's legit and was done properly so people pay attention. I hope it was not done poorly with lots of holes in how they conducted the research.

The article didn't mention obese people who get regular (or even excessive) amounts of exercise and have normal vitals. Most obese people do not run in half marathons and lift weights so likely the people in their study did not. The article itself mentions exercise reducing the heart risk. I would say that an obese person that frequently exercises is much, much healthier - including their heart.

For now maybe.

But in the long term, the excess weight will pose a problem.

rml_16

This needed research?

Yes. There are many people that think they are healthy because all the vitals are in check. I've watched extremely heated discussions here from some of them that say their doctors tell them they are in top shape, they run in half marathons, and lift, and they are healthy, just obese. They don't diet. So, they walk around thinking they are healthy. I'm glad this study came out. I hope it's legit and was done properly so people pay attention. I hope it was not done poorly with lots of holes in how they conducted the research.

The article didn't mention obese people who get regular (or even excessive) amounts of exercise and have normal vitals. Most obese people do not run in half marathons and lift weights so likely the people in their study did not. The article itself mentions exercise reducing the heart risk. I would say that an obese person that frequently exercises is much, much healthier - including their heart.

Give it 10-20 years and let's talk about the joints.

Mokey41

The article didn't mention obese people who get regular (or even excessive) amounts of exercise and have normal vitals. Most obese people do not run in half marathons and lift weights so likely the people in their study did not. The article itself mentions exercise reducing the heart risk. I would say that an obese person that frequently exercises is much, much healthier - including their heart.

Not necessarily. You're already placing a strain on your heart with the extra weight you carry then add some exercise to push it even further and I can't see that creating a healthier heart.

We have this discussion at home all the time. My husband and daughter in law are obese. My son and I are ideal weight. It's a constant argument between us with the obese saying they're just as healthy as we are but neither of them can run up a flight of stairs without sounding like Thomas the Tank Engine . My daughter in law thinks that because she's reached 30 without high blood pressure or cholesterol issues that it makes her healthy. Hubby is just completely in denial about what healthy even looks like.

yankeedownsouth

The article didn't mention obese people who get regular (or even excessive) amounts of exercise and have normal vitals. Most obese people do not run in half marathons and lift weights so likely the people in their study did not. The article itself mentions exercise reducing the heart risk. I would say that an obese person that frequently exercises is much, much healthier - including their heart.

I would assume though that obese people who frequently exercise are in the minority of obese people. Most overweight people I know don't exercise much...

(Edited to add...To be fair, most normal weight people I know don't exercise much either.)

Mr_Bad_Example

Makes sense to me. Anything in great amounts of excess will cause a strain or damage the health of the body. Carry the weight of a second person around every day and you'll probably have some health issues over time.

WalkingAlong

Not necessarily. You're already placing a strain on your heart with the extra weight you carry then add some exercise to push it even further and I can't see that creating a healthier heart.

Just to play devil's advocate, isn't the whole purpose of cardio exercise to place a strain on your heart?

There are cultures that believe our lives are measured in heartbeats, so raising it is bad. Just an interesting aside.

janatarnhem

This needed research?

Yes it did!
It was a actually a paper looking at all quantitative and qualiative research already performed to eliminate the doubt that exists that you can be overweight and be healthy.
It looks at the effect of being overweight in it's longevity. The fact that an overweight person may feel fit and have blood chemistry in the normal range is not okay. An overweight person will die earlier than a person who is within a normal BMI - not with standing the limitations of the BMI system and the individual.

csuhar

Now, the definition of obese needs to be clarified since we all know that BMI isn't a good measure.

That's exactly the point I was going to make. The key to the article seems to be the idea that excess FAT is the source of the risks. And I think most of us can agree we're trying to limit the amount of excess fat on our bodies.

But we recently saw people advocating a change in what BMI constitutes "obese", which would classify more people as being obsese without any changes in their physical makeup or increase in risk factors.

iplayoutside19

She said it was useful to think of lifestyle overall rather than individual risk factors.

"As well as watching your weight, if you stop smoking, get regular physical activity and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels at a healthy level, you can make a real difference in reducing your risk of heart disease.

It seems that this study was done on the general population and that whether the obese people with normal vitals exercised regularly was not taken into account.

I think a good portion of the MFP population is like me. They've lost an initial significant amount of weight but still have those stubborn areas, and are still classified as over-weight or obese. This would especially happen to people who spend time lifting. So, my question would be, if an obese person does have a healthy/active lifestyle and their vitals are normal....are they still in that risk group?

LiftAllThePizzas

I guess this proves the old adage.

omma_to_3

The article didn't mention obese people who get regular (or even excessive) amounts of exercise and have normal vitals. Most obese people do not run in half marathons and lift weights so likely the people in their study did not. The article itself mentions exercise reducing the heart risk. I would say that an obese person that frequently exercises is much, much healthier - including their heart.

I would assume though that obese people who frequently exercise are in the minority of obese people. Most overweight people I know don't exercise much...

(Edited to add...To be fair, most normal weight people I know don't exercise much either.)

No, I agree with you. I was just pointing out that the study didn't look at that affect at all. The study also wasn't focused on joint health - only heart health. I've seen other studies (well, things like this that were articles written about studies - didn't read the actual studies myself) that showed vigorous exercise improved heart health regardless of the weight of the person - ie, even obese people who were regular exercisers had healthy hearts.

And let's be clear...I'm not saying it's OK to be truly obese (not "BMI" only obese such as lifters LOL). I mean, I'm here aren't I? LOL. But, making inferences about things the study didn't examine is sketchy at best. I even read a study summary that found "overweight" people (overweight on BMI scale, but NOT obese on BMI scale) lived longer on average than healthy weight people (though I can't remember the specifics).

Slaintegrl

This needed research?

Yes it did!
It was a actually a paper looking at all quantitative and qualiative research already performed to eliminate the doubt that exists that you can be overweight and be healthy.
It looks at the effect of being overweight in it's longevity. The fact that an overweight person may feel fit and have blood chemistry in the normal range is not okay. An overweight person will die earlier than a person who is within a normal BMI - not with standing the limitations of the BMI system and the individual.

For the most part, this is true, but it's still a generality - it will not be true 100% of the time. Because not all people die from being unhealthy or having health issues.

lyzmorrison

My coworker is at least 75lbs overweight. She can't take a flight of stairs without being winded. She uses a machine for sleep apnea. Yet her doctor tells her that her weight is fine. She thinks she's healthy. It makes me crazy.

RosaliaBee

"This data is suggesting that both patients who are obese who are metabolically unhealthy and patients who are obese who are metabolically healthy are both at increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease,"

I always like to see solid evidence for any public claims made especially about health. I'm not a fat advocate, I don't want to remain fat or learn to 'embrace my curves' or whatever, but I have found some of the (largely fairly rational) arguments from HAES thought provoking.

It would be interesting to see a less fuzzy analysis of the data than has been set out above. Such as for example to what extent are metabolically unhealthy obese people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to what extent metabolically healthy obese people are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

I don't have a dog in that fight, but I would be interested to know the answers. I too, as some other posters have mentioned, would love to know if positive diet and lifestyle factors can have a mitigating effect on the likelihood of obese people developing other kinds of diseases typically linked to obesity. I'm sure there's a lot more work that could be done on this kind of thing to clarify the shady areas which would potentially be of benefit to our whole society.

rb16fitness

The phrase 'no *kitten* sherlock' springs to mind. Dread to think how much money was wasted on this so called research.

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