brainwagon

The CDC guidelines say that obesity is the #2 cause of death in America, right after smoking. But a new paper in JAMA suggests that this is not really the case, that it would be more appropriate to list it at #7 on the killer list, behind automobile accidents and gun deaths. The old number suggested that 365,000 deaths could be caused by too many pounds, the new figure: 25,814.

Link to the SFGate article:

Obesity Danger May Have Been Overstated

It may simply be that while many Americans are overweight, they are working better to manage their stress, cholesterol, blood pressure and are eating better foods. In such circumstances, being obese may be a great deal less harmful than previously imagined.

Link to the JAMA article:

JAMA — Excess Deaths Associated With Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity, April 20, 2005, Flegal et al. 293 (15): 1861

I’m enheartened. After all, anything which tells me that I’m likely to live a longer and healthier life is a good thing.