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Troll_Bait
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: [T]eaching experience doesn't matter much. -Lee Young-chan (pictured)
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 Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject: Study: Even a few extra pounds risky |
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Study: Even a few extra pounds risky
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Being a little overweight can kill you, according to new research that leaves little room for denial that a few extra pounds is harmful. Baby boomers who were even just a tad pudgy were more likely to die prematurely than those who were at a healthy weight, U.S. researchers reported Tuesday.
While obesity has been known to contribute to early death, the link between being overweight and dying prematurely has been controversial. Some experts have argued that a few extra pounds does no harm.
However, this is one of the first major studies to account for the factors of smoking and chronic illness, which can complicate efforts to figure out how much weight itself is responsible for early death.
"The cumulative evidence is now even stronger," said Dr. Michael Thun, chief epidemiologist of the American Cancer Society who had no role in the research. "Being overweight does increase health risks. It's not simply a cosmetic or social problem."
A separate large study of Korean patients, also released Tuesday, reached the same conclusion. Both are being published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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| I never pay attention to 'new health research' or 'new study reveals' articles. Read all those things and you wouldn't know what to eat, drink or even do. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: Study: Even a few extra pounds risky |
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| Troll_Bait wrote: |
Study: Even a few extra pounds risky
| Quote: |
Being a little overweight can kill you, according to new research that leaves little room for denial that a few extra pounds is harmful. Baby boomers who were even just a tad pudgy were more likely to die prematurely than those who were at a healthy weight, U.S. researchers reported Tuesday.
While obesity has been known to contribute to early death, the link between being overweight and dying prematurely has been controversial. Some experts have argued that a few extra pounds does no harm.
However, this is one of the first major studies to account for the factors of smoking and chronic illness, which can complicate efforts to figure out how much weight itself is responsible for early death.
"The cumulative evidence is now even stronger," said Dr. Michael Thun, chief epidemiologist of the American Cancer Society who had no role in the research. "Being overweight does increase health risks. It's not simply a cosmetic or social problem."
A separate large study of Korean patients, also released Tuesday, reached the same conclusion. Both are being published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.
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Okay, so what's a "healthy weight"? Are we seriously talking about a "few" extra pounds?
I'm not trying to be silly here. For instance, I'm not at my ideal weight right now. I'm working out regularly and eating better, and I expect to pare down gradually. However, how will I know when to stop trying to lose weight? What's comfortable and attractive in my opinion might not be medically advisable... how will I know when I'm "healthy"?
I know I'm setting myself up for some punchlines here, but I'm actually curious. |
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SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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| get your BMI into the correct range - here's an online calculator to help. |
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Troll_Bait
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: [T]eaching experience doesn't matter much. -Lee Young-chan (pictured)
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: Study: Even a few extra pounds risky |
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| kermo wrote: |
Okay, so what's a "healthy weight"? Are we seriously talking about a "few" extra pounds?
I'm not trying to be silly here. For instance, I'm not at my ideal weight right now. I'm working out regularly and eating better, and I expect to pare down gradually. However, how will I know when to stop trying to lose weight? What's comfortable and attractive in my opinion might not be medically advisable... how will I know when I'm "healthy"? |
This is from the article. I didn't quote the whole article because there's supposedly some kind of forum guideline/rule against it. Not that one would ever know, especially if one were to read the Current Events forums. Some people there seem to delight in deliberately burying their "opponents" under as big a mountain of "paperwork" as possible. Seriously, some of the posters there are stark, raving fruit-loops. But I digress ...
| Quote: |
Researchers analyzed patients' body-mass index and mortality rate over a 10-year period from questionnaires they filled out in 1995 and 1996 detailing their weight and diet.
Under current government standards, a BMI � or weight-to-height measurement � of 25 or higher is overweight; 30 and above is obese.
Generally, you must be 30 pounds overweight be to considered obese. Using the body-mass index, a 5-foot-10 man would be considered overweight if he is between 174 to 208 pounds, and obese at 209 pounds or more. |
So they seemed to use BMI. A doctor would probably be even better, since a doctor can see or measure how much of that extra weight is fat or muscle.
| kermo wrote: |
| I know I'm setting myself up for some punchlines here, but I'm actually curious. |
Could that be why you say, "Pretty soon, boo-hoo"? |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Oh, thanks for that! Yeah, I'm familiar with the BMI, and I didn't realize there was more to the article. Thanks! |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| I never pay attention to 'new health research' or 'new study reveals' articles. Read all those things and you wouldn't know what to eat, drink or even do. |
Right. And I never pay attention to this 'New England Journal of Medicine' either. I mean, are they serious? 'New England'?!!  |
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flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: Study: Even a few extra pounds risky |
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| Troll_Bait wrote: |
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, a 5-foot-10 man would be considered overweight if he is between 174 to 208 pounds, and obese at 209 pounds or more.[/size] |
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But see, this is where it all goes off the tracks: 5'10" 174=overweight? You've got be kidding. When I was the healthiest in my life:
I was 20 years old, 5'7' and 177.
It's largely a load of bollox, those recommendations. |
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canuckistan
Mod Team
Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Location: Training future GS competitors.....
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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Henceforth I shall go through life as stick woman.
Not. |
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Troll_Bait
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: [T]eaching experience doesn't matter much. -Lee Young-chan (pictured)
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Study: Even a few extra pounds risky |
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| flotsam wrote: |
When I was the healthiest in my life:
I was 20 years old, 5'7' and 177.
It's largely a load of bollox, those recommendations. |
*ahem*
http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/av.htm
| Quote: |
| Body Mass Index can be used to indicate if you are overweight or normal. But it can wrongly suggest fatness in people who are atheletic or muscular. For adolescents or children, this calculator uses "BMI for Age", because "normal" varies with age. That's why this bmi calculator also shows percentile statistics, so you can compare your weight to others of the same age and height. |
That's why they're called "recommendations," Rambo. 
"They sent him on a mission and set him up to fail. But they made one mistake. They forgot they were dealing with Flotsam." |
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flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Ich weiss, aber...
I think you gotta be pretty damn flabbaliscious to be "overweight" at 5'7", 174.
BTW: What do you think BoA's BMI is? I am thinking: somewhere between "yummy" and "mind-blowing". (I love that she is of age now...)
P.S. Screaming Eagles, Sir!! (God, that was a young, dumb and full of cumberland farms, flotsam. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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I have a body mass index of almost 23 which puts me on the heavy edge of normal. However I'm at the point now where if I drop even a bit of weight the Korean teachers start complaining that I've gotten too thin as there really isn't much fat on me.
I just think that the body mass index is flawed as it doesn't take into account overall fitness and lifestyle. Perhaps better would be a body fat % but of course that's a lot harder to mesaure than plugging in a few measurements. |
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captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 3:46 am Post subject: |
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I wouldn't doubt it. I met a doctor from Oz at a backpacker's hostel last month and he talked about flab. He figures the key to life, sort of, is the book by Desmond Morris the anthropologist called 'The Naked Ape' In which humanity's long orgins are sketched out. The overwhelming majority of that time being scrawny monkey men eking out an existence burning almost as much caloric intake as they scrounged/struck with flying objects. So the body doesn't know what to do with excess poundage and goes chemically haywire creating compensatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease....the usual suspects.
Thing is no-one's holding a gun to our head commanding 'go out and scavenge or die'. I ought to be wearing fur panties and a tusk on a neck thong, grunting on a stairmaster imagining catching rabbits and chewing their throats. Simulating the bulk of 4 million years of human history the body is tuned to run right on, running lean....almost starving. That's why it's so hard to lose weight. The body clings to fat banking on starvation coming up.... |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:15 am Post subject: |
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One of my favourite artists led a sedentary life full of cigarettes and a lot of good food to a productive, ripe old age of 81:
One's weight relative to genetics, which impacts more?
(Interesting question for those who dwell on such things) |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:35 am Post subject: |
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The science suggests the correlation may be spurious, or at least only partial:
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Studies Questioning The Obesity-Mortality Link
Many researchers who have examined the link between obesity and mortality have concluded that the presumed relationship is greatly exaggerated. The following statements appeared in peer-reviewed journals:
"Many longitudinal cohort studies reported no direct relationship between bodyweight and mortality; in others a negative relationship was observed." -- International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders, 1996
"Increased body mass index was marginally associated with reduced risk of mortality ... In many studies overall obesity -- often expressed as an elevated body mass index -- has not been significantly related to myocardial infarction." --British Medical Journal, 1993
"Studies on the relation between body weight and mortality have shown inconsistent results ... we did not find an increased mortality at the upper end of the BMI distribution." --Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 1997
"...some prospective epidemiological studies have reported, consistent with present data, that caloric intake is inversely associated with CVD [cardiovascular disease] mortality. A 12-year follow-up of women in Gothenburg, Sweden, a 10-year follow-up of Japanese men residing in the island of Oahu (Honolulu Heart Program), and a 6-year Puerto Rico Heart Health Program (8218 men) Study have all reported an inverse association between dietary caloric intake and CVD events even after adjusting for other CVD risk factors. --American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 2003
"These results suggest that high levels of obesity indicators are only slightly associated with an excess mortality and that overweight and obesity are health hazards only if they are accompanied by an elevation of other risk factors, mainly of blood pressure ... Everything else being equal, the contribution of elevated levels of BMI to the risk of dying in the next 10 years is limited ... The limited role of elevated BMI in general mortality when other risk factors, mainly [blood pressure], do not increase together with BMI is confirmed also by the simple analyses reported." --Preventative Medicine, 1993
"Many studies have reported no association between body weight and mortality. [Dr. Ancel] Keys' review of 13 prospective studies found that only one showed a definite univariate relationship between overweight and CHD. Similarly, review of 16 prospective studies of obesity and mortality led Andres to conclude that obesity does not influence total mortality the way one would expect." --American Journal of Public Health, 1989
"...the lowest mortality rates were experienced by people with body weights well above those recommended as "desirable" by the Society of Actuaries in 1959. Thus, the applicability of the "desirable" weight standards in common use is questioned." --American Journal of Epidemiology, 1982
"Some of the most respected epidemiological studies of the relationship between weight and mortality have been conducted by Ancel Keys, who coordinated 16 separate long-term prospective studies in seven different countries. Keys concluded: 'In none of the areas of this study was overweight or obesity a major risk factor for death, or the incidence of coronary disease.'" --Journal of Obesity and Weight Regulation, 1987
"The resulting empirical findings from each of four race/sex groups, which are representative of the US population, demonstrate a wide range of BMIs consistent with minimum mortality and do not suggest that the optimal BMI is at the lower end of the distribution for any subgroup." --American Journal of Epidemiology, 1998
"Optimal weight (or BMI) for longevity remains an enigma for several methodological reasons: 1) survival analyses are often based on a single body weight measured or recalled at one point in time and at a variable age. Obvious potential errors include inaccurate reporting, a poorly calibrated scale, the variable weight of clothing and shoes, and the effect of a meal or hydration. Furthermore, the frequency and amplitude of intercurrent weight fluctuations and/or any change in body weight that occurs with aging are not accounted for during the follow-up period; 2) body weight is determined by a complex interaction of behavioral, cultural, socioeconomic, psychological, physiological, and genetic factors, many of which independently influence longevity. Hence, body weight may be a marker for other significant variables that may directly or indirectly relate to longevity, such as the level of physical activity, functional capacity, or the quantity and composition of the diet; 3) body weight or BMI provides only limited information about body composition and changes that occur in response to fitness, illness, aging, and the like." --Nutrition Reviews, 1993
"The levels of BMI carrying the minimum risk of death are higher than expected--that is, about 29 units of BMI for middle aged men, 27 to 29 units for young women, and nearly 32 units for middle aged women." --Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 1998
"Neither coronary heart disease nor cancer, the two leading causes of death, was significantly associated with BMI." --Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 1990
"After 15 years of follow up in the seven countries study Keys et al. could not find an excess risk for death from all causes or coronary heart disease with increasing weight in any of the regions surveyed." --British Medical Journal, 1987
"Overweight is not consistently associated with coronary heart disease ... the available data do not support the hypothesis that obesity causes atherosclerosis." --Annals of Internal Medicine, 1985
"Among the women, there was no consistent relationship between body mass index and mortality." --JAMA, 1983
"The minimum mortality [for women over 50] occurred at a BMI of approximately 34." --Journal of Women's Health, 1998
"Preventing overweight would have had only a negligible effect on mortality in the present study population; this confirms the results of several studies that document only a weak association between high body weight and mortality." --British Medical Journal, 1990
"...nine-year mortality data from NHANES I were analyzed ... mortality for all women combined did not vary according to BMI. For men, a small positive effect was seen only in the highest BMI category." --Nutrition Reviews, 1993 |
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm?article=171 |
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