We are constantly being told that we must be thin if we want to be loved/successful/beautiful. And we believe this, because, hey, if you're told something a hundred times a day, it's hard work to not believe it's true.
But recent studies (click here) have shed new light on the whole issue. A study, based on people's weight at age 40, has shown that slightly overweight people live longer than people of normal weight. The headlines are more impressive that the actual figures. Obese people died earlier than that.
The order of length of life beyond 40 for the various weight level groups, shortest life to longest, was Thin, Obese, Normal Weight, Overweight. So based on those figures, you should be aiming at being overweight at the age of forty, and certainly not thin at that age.
The overweight and obese groups had the highest medical costs, it seems, and it was thought that maybe because the overweight went to the doctor more often, their may pick up health issues more quickly and deal with them.
There is a need to do much more study on this issue, and I feel it is important to take account of how much a person is enjoying their life. If a person is a little overweight, and is OK with that, then they are lucky, they'll enjoy their extra time on this Earth. If they are desperate to be thinner, even though being too thin is bad for your life expectancy, well, they may not want to live longer anyway.
I think the upshot of all of this is, find the weight you feel happiest and healthiest at, and stay there. If it means doing a bit of exercise to keep in the overweight rather than obese range, that's a very good thing. For people who are at their healthy weight range, make sure you don't stray down into the thin range. Too thin is worse that any other thing. The healthy weight range people shouldn't be too smug, and they too will benefit from exercise. It might raise their weight a little, but that will be from increased muscle, and who doesn't want to be stronger?!
One to keep an eye on, I think!
This is me in 2009
Happy, healthy, size ten jeans!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
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