Tales of the Heliosphere

Noble scientists studying diet and health have given us the good news before. Wine, moderate alcohol use, chocolate, red meat, and even nicotine, can be good for you.

Today comes more good news for those of us who want to enjoy the good things in life during our allotted time on this world. Those extra 15 pounds or so of fat that just won't go away could be a lifesaver, and not just the buoyant variety.

A new study of mortality statistics confirmed that there isn't much good that comes from being obese.

"But being overweight – having a BMI between 25 and 30 – did not increase the risk of dying from heart disease or any kind of cancer.

Also surprising was that overweight people were up to about 40 percent less likely than normal-weight people to die from several other causes including emphysema, pneumonia, injuries and various infections. The age group that seemed to benefit most from a little extra padding were people ages 25 to 59; older overweight people had reduced risks for these diseases, too." (Here.)

As with every study that reports counter intuitive health findings, there are the usual cautionary statements about not overdoing it, and, indeed, overweight people are at greater risk of dying from diabetes and kidney disease. But the good news remains.

Carrying around a little extra weight isn't going to kill you. As my college friend's Italian mama used to tell me when I'd take my then skinny body over on a visit 40 pounds ago: "Manjia."

-tdr

Labels: Health, Religion