Researchers say being ‘fat but in shape’ could be less fatal than having low weight

A new important study found that carrying a few additional pounds may not be as dangerous as having low weight, especially for those who are “fat but fit.”

The researchers at the Hospital of the University of Aarhus in Denmark followed more than 85,000 adults and discovered that low -weight people were almost three times more likely to die during the study period than those of the upper end of the normal body mass index range (BMI).

Even participants within the “healthy” range, but on the lower side, faced a higher risk of premature death.

For the first time, there are more children in the world that are obese than under weight

Meanwhile, those who were overweight or moderately obese did not face higher mortality rates compared to people with BMI in the normal-normal range.

The findings challenge the long data assumptions about the BMI, a calculation that uses weight and height, and health, which suggests that it may be possible to be “fat but fit” and that wearing a few additional pounds may not be as harmful as once thought, according to a press release.

The researchers presented their findings at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna last week.

Body fat predicts a higher health risk that BMI is lost, researchers say

However, the greatest risk reached both ends: severe and low weight obesity.

“Both low weight and obesity are the main global health challenges,” said principal researcher Dr. Sigrid Bjerge Gribsholt, from the Hospital of the University of Aarhus.

Obesity can interrupt the metabolism of the body, weaken the immune system and lead to diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and up to 15 different cancers, while having low weight is linked to malnutrition, weakened immunity and nutrient deficiencies, Gribsholt warned.

According to researchers, body fat distribution and underlying health conditions play an important role in general health.

Cancer deaths reached the ‘alarming’ increase due to common health condition, experts say.

“The visceral, fat that is very metabolically active and stored deep in the abdomen, wrapped around the organs, secret compounds that negatively affect metabolic health,” said Professor Jens Meldgaard Bruun, another of the study researchers.

“As a result, an individual who has an BMI of 35 and has a block shape, the excess fat is around his abdomen, he can have type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, while another individual with the same BMI can [be] Free of these problems because excess fat is in their hips, buttocks and thighs, “he added.

The treatment of obesity must be customized to take into account these factors and other conditions when establishing an objective weight, Bruun said.

More in health news

News Digital has communicated with the authors of the study to comment.

Dr. Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula, an epidemiologist at the North Dakota State University that did not participate in the investigation, told News Digital that the findings support other recent research, but challenge the current medical guidelines that assume that health risks constantly increase with the BMI.

“The highest mortality rates in people with a lower BMI probably occur because hidden diseases cause the situation to appear backwards,” Bhagavathula told News Digital. “Diseases such as cancer or heart failure cause weight loss first, which makes the low weight look more dangerous than it really is.”

Click here to register in our health newsletter

Obesity, meanwhile, tends to come before serious health problems, according to the World Health Organization.

Bhagavathula added that in older adults, muscle loss related to age increases vulnerability, such as falls and infections, while mild weight can provide a “protective effect” by offering energy reserves during disease. The healthy and active lifestyle of Denmark, including generalized cycling, can also contribute to that effect.

He stressed that the BMI should be considered together with other measures such as the proportions of waist / height, muscle mass, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, sex and ethnicity.

Click here to get the News application

“Current health messages often focus too much on weight loss, creating shame and unnecessary medical treatment for people overweight but have normal body function,” he continued. “These findings suggest changing to a nutritional approach that focuses on how the body processes food, emphasizing physical activity, balanced diet and blood analysis … instead of BMI only.”