One of the largest new weight studies says you don't have to be obese to raise your risk of premature death - being just overweight can cause problems as well.
New England Journal of Medicine study involved 1.5 million people and concluded healthy white adults who were overweight were 13% more likely to die than those whose weight was in an ideal range.
"Having a little extra meat on your bones — if that meat happens to be fat — is harmful, not beneficial," Dr. Michael Thun of the American Cancer Society, senior author of the study told USA Today.
Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years according to the Centers for Disease Control:
- obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008.
- obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.
Care New England says 25% of Rhode Island children are overweight or obese. Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem. Obese youth are more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Right now two-thirds of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese according to the CDC.
Overweight begins at a body mass index measurement of 25, obese at 30 and morbidly obese at 40.
Do you know your BMI? Try this calculator.
Comments
Scary statistics. I think one of the biggest obstacles for children these days is not getting enough physical activity. With computers, video games, and electronic devices to keep them busy they don't get outside to play and run anymore like when I was a kid. I would be out for several hours after school riding my bike, playing and running around when I was young. Good report.
Nancy Z-Grand Rapids Public Health Examiner and Sexual Health Examiner
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