Because sometimes it's not so bad to be a fatty. :)

[moonvoice]

A study of 50,000 people via Tohoku University in Japan, shows that obese and overweight people are likely to live longer than those of different physiques.

(Although it also shows that we cost more in medical expenses. Lol).

Comments

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

Those numbers really don't mean much. BMI doesn't give a picture of say, fat %, lean mass %, bone density. If you have more lean mass and bone density when you get older, your body will stand up better to the muscle wasting that happens as you age. Also helps with issues like oesteoporosis.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, BMI is misleading, but there aren't really many other standardised weight indicators that are used as frequently globally these days. Until they come up with something better, and globally recognised, BMI is probably gonna be what they use for a while. :/

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

There are two ways of universally recognised ways of measuring fat %. Calipers and water displacement. Obviously calipers are less of a pain than water displacement though caliper measurements can hurt in particular measuring spots. Both are pretty accurate but water displacement is moreso.

Risk factors related to morbidity vary with lifestyle - ie for women higher fat % - more oestrogen - less chance of breast cancer & oesteoporosis but more chance of heart disease. *shrugs*