I just read this interesting article in the newspaper today and thought I’d share the link with everyone. It relates to our earlier discussions about the cultural and medical perceptions of weight and obesity:
Extra weight won’t increase death risk (from AP, published in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution).
With research like this coming out, I’m surprised that the normal BMI range (generally considered healthy BMIs as well) has not been expanded to include what is considered the overweight (though not obese) BMI range as well. Granted, the article only came out in JAMA today, so it might be a bit early to expect immediate change. But no questions were raised about how we’ve arbitrarily drawn lines between healthy and unhealthy BMIs without necessarily having the evidence to support it. Based on this data it’s quite possible that “unhealthy,” overweight BMIs are as healthy or healthier than those considered to have normal, “healthy” BMIs; the line drawn the between the two was made before we even had a chance to back the distinction with any research.
2 comments:
What an interesting article! I'm normally really annoyed by articles/studies that claim, something like obesity leads to an increased risk of heart attack and diabetes...or new studies show that meditation helps the mind become more active. When I see headlines like that, I simply ignore the article, thinking to myself...I can't believe it took years of research and observations to state something so obvious. Then again, I guess the "obvious" is just an extremely well thought out hypothesis, and we all know that hypotheses need to be tested.
It is important to remember that BMI doesn't account for weight due to muscle mass. Therefore, a huge, muscular body-builder can be classified as obese on the BMI scale...how absurd. I wonder about the concept that "people with normal BMIs are more likely to die from injuries and infections [than people with higher BMIs]." Is this due to what some may classify as padding against an injury? If an obese person is stabbed with a knife vs. a "normal" weight person being stabbed (given the same stab location and depth insertion of the knife...), is the knife more likely to miss vital organs in the obese person and simply push through fat? (my lack of knowledge about whether or not the internal organs of obese people grow with their size is showing here...do their organs grow, or do layers of fat literally pack around their organs?) I also wonder about the idea of infections...is this because an infection would have to eat away at more in an obese person vs. in a normal person? The question that dumbfounds me the most, however, is whether or not these factors apply to someone who is overweight because of muscle mass rather than body fat. Would an overweight person be more likely to die of an infection or a stab wound or a body builder...both of whom are classified as "obese?" I can see arguments for both sides, but either way, a study on this concept would be much cooler than a study on obesity leading to an increased risk of heart disease.
I have always found BMI related articles and research to be interesting. As mentioned in the other comment, BMI doesn't account for weight due to muscle mass. For example, once when I was in top shape, during a swim seasons in high school, I had my BMI measured. According to the numbers, I was considered obese b/c of my muscle mass. I just find the whole concept confusing and don't believe it is always accurate.
In addition, BMI was originally based upon bodies of caucasians. Therefore, when we hear about all these articles in which minorities are considered obese, some of the time, they are not. Every cultural group has a different body type and therefore, it is inneficient to measure everyone's BMI based upon one culture's numbers.
I believe doctors and researchers need to stop obsessing over numbers and help people establish "healthy lifestyles". This should include a balanced diet and activities that make people sweat. I believe that people are getting too caught up with numbers and are losing sight of what is truly important, staying active and eating well.
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