Being Overweight May Not Be As Unhealthy As Before, Suggest Researchers

A new research suggests that being overweight is not as unhealthy as it was four decades ago. The study discovered that people who are moderately overweight have lower rates of early death in comparison to those who belong to the weight bracket of obese, underweight or normal weight.

The study by Danish researchers, published in JAMA, observed thousands of people for weight, height and date rates at three separate time periods since the 1970s. It was seen that normal weight people had the lowest early death rates in the mid 1970s whereas the obese faced a 30 percent higher risk.

However, as per the study conducted by doctors from Copenhagen University, the risk of obese people dying early is almost negligible nowadays. An explanation for this could be found in advanced medical treatments now, due to which health systems are better at treating conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol that are linked with obesity.

"Our results should not be interpreted as suggesting that now people can eat as much as they like, or that so-called normal-weight individuals should eat more to become overweight," said lead investigator Prof Borge Nordestgaard. "That said, maybe overweight people need not be quite as worried about their weight as before." The scientists also mentioned that their study shows there is a requirement to update the prevailing global definitions of excess weight, which are now around 20 years old.

According to a report, the study has met with its fair share of criticism. A UK doctor has said that being overweight is not desirable or healthy, and obesity cannot be considered as a factor that saves an individual from early death. Rather, overweight people develop adverse health conditions and complications like cancers, liver diseases, type-2 diabetes, sleep related problems as well as numerous pregnancy problems. Moreover, obesity is not great for the self esteem. The critic said obesity should be prevented.