A few extra pounds may be a good thing

June 29, 8:55 AMDenver Low Carb ExaminerLinda Duffy

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My mom proves a little extra weight isn't necessarily bad.

Nobody wants to be overweight. However, after spending much of my adult life in the obese category, overweight aint so bad. In fact, not losing those last 20 pounds I want gone may actually be a benefit in the long run. A surprising study out of Canada reports...

"Compared to people who fell into the normal-weight category:

• Those classified as underweight were 73% more likely to die.
• Those classified as extremely obese with BMI of 35 or greater were 36% more likely to die.
• Those classified as obese with BMI 30-34.9 had about the same risk of death.
• Those classified as overweight with BMI 25-29.9 were 17% less likely to die.

The study appears online this week in the journal Obesity." (more)

This study ties in with the all important, much loved "things my mom told me during our last phone call" study. According to my 66 year old mother,

"All my skinny friends are falling apart!"

In her circle of friends, she was always the chubby one. Many of her friends were (and still are) model thin. My chubby mom does have her share of health problems, but compared to the skinny women, she is the picture of health. From high triglycerides, to heart disease and cancer, her thin friends (and some of my thin friends) are experiencing conditions that make being overweight no big deal. Ironically, mom's recently diagnosed gall bladder issues are a direct result of her attempts to lose weight. According to her physician, low fat dieting in the mid to late 70's while a member of Weight Watchers led to her gall stones today.

While far from hard science, the mom report does tell us a few things...

1. Skinny does not mean healthy.
2. Misguided attempts to lose weight can cause more harm than simply being overweight.
3. Mom still does know best.