More evidence: fat =/= unhealthy

[velvetpage]

Fat people are only slightly more likely than thin people to have high colesterol or high blood pressure.

Comments

[dagoski.livejournal.com]

This goes along with some other studies of pudgy athletes. Many years ago, Outside magazine profiled some of these people in an issue. All of them were overweight, but all of them were competitive in some amateur sport. As a consequence of that fitness, all of them were very healthy in spite of their weight. However, none of them were tremendously overweight. So my guess is that inactivity plays a large role.

Also, the common obesity measures leave a lot out. At an employer health screening a few years back, I got lectured about weighing 190 lbs at 5'6". I almost tore off my shirt to refute the nurse practioner's conclusions. Weight vs height simply does not tell enough of the story to be more than a rule of thumb.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

So my guess is that inactivity plays a large role.

*nods* A skinny office worker who runs on caffeine and sugar can be as unhealthy as a pudgy office worker who runs on cheeseburgers.