Why you might actually be healthier if you put on weight
Research suggests those with higher BMI less likely to die
- New research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes suggests a link between higher mortality rates and individuals in the middle and lower end of the normal weight range.
- The study found that people with a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight category and the lower end of the obese category were less likely to die than those considered to be in the healthy weight range.
- Individuals with a BMI in the underweight range faced nearly three times higher mortality risk, while severely obese individuals were twice as likely to die compared to a reference population.
- Dr Sigrid Bjerge Gribsholt from Aarhus University Hospital noted that reverse causation, where underlying illness causes weight loss, could partly explain why lower weight appears to increase mortality risk.
- The research, which examined over 85,000 Danish individuals, suggests the optimal BMI range for lowest mortality might be shifting upwards over time due to medical advancements.