The overweight lie

For years you’ve been told that you need to lose weight for your health. It turns out that this was a big lie. As stated by the AP:

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that packing on too many pounds accounts for 25,814 deaths a year in the United States. As recently as January, the CDC came up with an estimate 14 times higher: 365,000 deaths.

Our government has been lying to us, but that’s not the whole story. The study, which is available online, shows that being overweight (a Body Mass Index [BMI] between 25 and 30) actually lowers the chance of dying.

That’s right, according to this data, a lot of Americans should be gaining weight for their health. Thus the headline of the NY Times article reads Some Extra Heft May Be Helpful, New Study Says.

The following chart (source: NIH) shows the ideal minimum and maximum weight range:

Height	BMI 25	BMI 30
5’0”	128	153
5’1”	132	158
5’2”	136	164
5’3”	141	169
5’4”	145	174
5’5”	150	180
5’6”	155	186
5’7”	159	191
5’8”	164	197
5’9”	169	203
5’10”	174	209
5’11”	179	215
6’0”	184	221
6’1”	189	227
6’2”	194	233
6’3”	200	240

Now I’m sure a lot of you, especially my female readers, fall below the healthy weight range, so go out there and start eating. I, for one, am going to hit McDonald’s tomorrow.

Comments

[Lisa H]

155 lbs for a woman who's 5'6" is FAT!!!

[Half Sigma]

Yes, but based on the study, a woman of 5'6" who weighs 155 is healthier than one who weighs less.

If you cared about your health, you'd stop dieting.

[Fatmel]

But this makes no sense. Doesn't fat in your blood vessels increase the blood pressure, therefore increasing the chances of a heart attack? Anyway, I'm Singaporean, so we don't do feet, inches and pound. We do metres, centimetres and kilograms. How do you read those lbs and ' "?

[Shawn kearney]

Where are all these "obese" people I keep hearing about? Because honestly, I don't see them.

And if California is the "second fattest" state, my experience is definitely otherwise. In fact, seeing CSUC students while living in Chico, I'd say the majority of people were rather trim, fit, and cared more about looking like a product of an adored MTV tramp than their GPA.

From what i've seen, America has a celebrity idolization problem (J. Lo has curves?! wtf?? where??) not a weight problem. BMI does not count for factors such as frame, build, family background/genetics, ethnic background, ect. Furthermore, where do these guidelines come from? What science could possibly be used to generate a 25-40 pound margin for every single human being in the world? Numeric tolerances are for nuts and bolts, not people with such a vast variety of genetic factors.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute:
"Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women."

The premises of this is ridicules and the idea that our best doctors - women and men of science - support the claim is embarrassing. A formula which uses only two variables, height and weight, and has the capability to isolate fat content from bone mass, water retention, muscle mass or other contributing factors ... can lend any kind of accurate clue to your overall health, is clearly unscientific and impossible. The BMI should be renamed to "Body Image Index" - or better yet, the "Anorexia Scale".

This may remind one a bit of biometrics used by Nazi Germany to determine if one was arian or not - well, that may be unfair. But still, a frightening analogy.

In reality, we don't need to be "trim, fit and stupid" like our beautiful starlets. We don't need "rock-hard-abs". There isn't much evidence saying you'll live longer with them anyway. We really don't need that much exercise. I know when I need more exercise, it's when I can't do everyday things with ease - like climb stairs or ride my bike up a hill. Let's be reasonable, and stop using Jessica Simpson or Brad Pitt as our personal models.

So all you fitness geeks and insecure idolizers, save some money by not *driving* to the gym. Get outside and walk around for a change. It's beautiful out there. Eat less meat, it's not that tasty anyway. Be happy for a change ... so enjoy that occasional doughnut.

Sincerely,
Shawn Kearney 5'6", male 170 lbs and overweight (lmao)
(please e-mail your cross examinations)

PS: Lisa, I feel deeply sorry for you.

[Melody Hidalgo]

I am a 5'6", 140 lb. female. For some time now, because it's true about the celebrity idolization thing we have going on in America, I've been thinking I'm overweight...

But, I know that's not true. Because, like Shawn said up there, there's just too many factors to put into that little "BMI" equation for it to relate to everyone.

I'm Dominican, I have a big butt, and an ample chest, and a small waist! And if being thin means looking like a stick, with NO butt and NO chest and all boney, then F*** that man! I'm proud of my curves!

So, I agree that people should just forget all that stupid starvation crap. Everything in moderation!

[Spungen]

You go, Melody!

Anyway, I don't think 5'6", 140 is overweight even according to the standard tables.

[David Alexander]

Melody sounds hot and spicy. :-)

[Markku Jantunen]

How many independent and healthy 80+ year-olds do you know who have BMIs over 25?

[Frederick Hidalgo]

Good Job Melody!! Keep those curves..I'm her brother and I have to beat up like 20 guys a day! She's cool though! she's perfect and she doesn't even know it!!