Is Being Overweight Really OK?

As recently as just 50 years ago, it was quite unusual to see an overweight person and almost unheard of to see anyone who was clinically obese. However in the current society we live in, it’s almost accepted that we’ll be overweight, fat and out of shape sooner or later. The rate at which this trend is growing is worrying. And it’s not limited to older or middle-aged people either, as even young adults, teenagers and children are becoming overweight.

Clearly, it is now socially acceptable to be overweight, and you’ll often hear gasps of horror when you tell people you regularly go to the gym or that you went out and didn't drink, and prepare for people asking if you’re feeling okay when you pick a steak and salad at dinner and pass on dessert, while everyone else gorges on mountains of junk food.

While on the face of it, you may think that being overweight is a health hazard, can lead to early death and a whole host of diseases, it may not be quite so clear cut as that.

That’s right – increase it. You did read that right. Being overweight might not cause you to die at 45 from cancer, heart disease or diabetes, but help you live longer. Here’s what the research showed.

What The Research Said

Researchers took just under 100 studies from all over the world that between them covered around 3 million adults in total. They took a note of the participants’ BMIs (Body Mass Index – this is a measure of weight to height ratio. To find your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms, by your height in meters squared.) They found that -

Compared to people of a normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.99)

You might be thinking –

“Wow, so it’s okay to go and eat whatever I want a get a little out of shape. Provided I don’t go to the extreme levels of obesity, I can relax – eat some cake, drop down my gym time and actually live a bit longer.)

Not so fast. While the research figures may sound hugely enticing and it is easy to take them at face value, it’s not quite as simple as that. There were a number of flaws in the study and several aspects that weren’t taken into consideration.

Here’s why it may still not be okay to be overweight.

The Real Reasons Being Overweight Isn't Okay

BMI

The first and most pressing issue is that BMI is not a good indicator of what kind of shape a person is in. While it may be widely used by doctors and the medical profession, there are a number of reasons why Body Mass Index shouldn’t be looked at as the only indicator of a person's health.

BMI doesn’t take into account the different types of mass you have. Your body weight covers everything – muscle mass, bone mass, blood, fat tissue, water weight, organs, etc.

Take two examples of a bodybuilder and your average Joe with little muscle mass and a beer belly. Both guys are 5’10” and weigh 185 pounds. The bodybuilder however will be 185 pounds of mostly muscle, with very little fat, while your Average Joe will have a much higher body fat percentage and a lot less muscle mass, and even more so once you consider that muscle weighs more than fat. On paper they both look identical when judging BMI, but the bodybuilder will be in far better shape and probably (everything else being equal) a lot healthier due to his lower body fat percentage.

Likewise, a bodybuilder or athlete could technically be classed as obese if you were going on BMI alone, yet walk around all year at just eight to 10 percent body fat – much less than the average person. Nobody in their right mind would think to tell this bodybuilder to lose weight.

Normal Doesn't Mean Healthy

The researchers compared overweight people to “normal” people. Just because these folks have an average BMI doesn't mean they’re healthy. Someone with a slender build could be a smoker, a habitual binge drinker, live an unhealthy lifestyle or gorge on junk food day in day out, yet have the genetics whereby they don’t tend to gain much weight.

They’re what can be referred to as a “TOFI” – Thin Outside, Fat Inside. They might appear to be healthy, but underneath they’re not in good shape and they merely subsist on a junk food diet without much exercise, poisoning their bodies with alcohol and nicotine.

Fat Differences

There are two main types of fat. Subcutaneous fat sits just underneath your skin, while visceral fat is much lower down and surrounds your organs. Neither is healthy, but visceral fat is far more dangerous. Those who have higher levels of visceral fat are at a much greater risk of disease and early death. You can’t automatically assume that someone who doesn't have much subcutaneous or visible fat doesn't have a lot of visceral fat around their organs. Likewise, fat thighs are much better, in terms of health, than a fat belly.

Quality of Life

An overweight person could live to 100 years old if they’re lucky, but the whole second half of this could be spent in considerable discomfort from the hazards that being overweight brings. On the other hand, a so-called average person could live to 80 years old, feel perfectly fine and have a healthy, happy, active life, then be struck down by a genetic condition disease that kills them quickly.

Again, on paper you would assume that the 100 year old overweight person was healthier, as they lived 20 years longer, but by drawing this conclusion you aren't taking into account the quality of life.

What to Do

The study does bring up some interesting points, but don’t get too carried away – carrying too much fat is still unhealthy.

Don’t obsess over your numbers on the scale – weight is just a number. Look at your body composition and quality of life as a whole. Take progress pictures to assess your physique and make notes on how you’re feeling. If you rarely get ill, can carry out day to day tasks with ease, train hard in the gym and don’t have to rely on medication, chances are you’re in pretty good shape.

If, however, you struggle with fitness, keep getting run down and ill, it might be time to take a look at your lifestyle, even if you’re not overweight.