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Yes. Why is everyone tiptoeing around this? The obesity rate has increased by something like 50% since the turn of the century. It is a major risk factor for al

Yes. Why is everyone tiptoeing around this? The obesity rate has increased by something like 50% since the turn of the century. It is a major risk factor for all the causes of death being discussed here. Sure there are probably many factors but this is clearly a big one.

hu3 2y ago
Yeah if I try to handwave obesity impact on diabetes and cardiovascular diseases to the average cardiologist, they are going to tear me a new one within minutes. I don't know why is this even a question. Do people really think being overweight is a net positive?
- pessimizer 2y ago
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23280227/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23280227/ Association of all-cause mortality with overweight and obesity using standard body mass index categories: a systematic review and meta-analysis > Conclusions and Relevance: [...]overweight was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality.
- watwut 2y ago
  You gotta go higher in BMI for those to kick in. Basically, where you are within normal and slightly overweight bounds is mostly an aesthetic concern with slight lifespan advantage for slightly overweight people. When you move toward obese or into underweight category, health problems kick in.
lovethevoid 2y ago
Go here https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/index.html and enter your height and weight. If you fall above the healthy category, you are part of the obesity rate and are what most research points to when it comes to increased cardiovascular risk. Also for asians the numbers are slightly lower. I find that when I point this out, people often get mad. They feel they aren't obese. But the research doesn't support them, if you are anywhere outside of the "healthy" categorization you are at the same risk (that we know of so far) as "clinically obese" people.
- hu3 2y ago
  My result: 18.5 to 24.9. "Healthy Weight". I tried adding 10kgs and it said "Overweight". Seems ok to me. They even warn that BMI should be used along with other indicators.
  - pessimizer 2y ago
    Mechanick, J. (2013). “What If” Being Overweight was Good For You? Endocrine Practice, 19(1), 166–168. https://doi.org/10.4158/endp.19.1.50042678317gx698 https://doi.org/10.4158/endp.19.1.50042678317gx698 The evidence that being overweight is healthier is a bit dubious, but the evidence that having a "normal" BMI is healthier than "overweight" is nonexistent.
- orionsbelt 2y ago
  Is it not the case that as BMI increases the risk increases? My BMI is not healthy - and I don’t deny that makes me subject to increased risk - but I would still think morbidly obese is far worse than obese which is worse than overweight, in terms of risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.
  - throwway120385 2y ago
    That's essentially what "morbidly" means.
  - Izkata 2y ago
    Not strictly. Over the past few decades I've occasionally but regularly seen evidence that "overweight but not obese" (BMI 25-30) might actually be healthier than a normal weight (BMI 18.5-25). In those studies obese did have a worse outcome than both. IIRC mostly they had to do with seasonal sicknesses like the flu, the theory being that your body can burn the extra fat during periods you aren't able to eat well.
- JumpCrisscross 2y ago
  > when I point this out, people often get mad. They feel they aren't obese We’ve normalised being fat.

hu3 2y ago

Yeah if I try to handwave obesity impact on diabetes and cardiovascular diseases to the average cardiologist, they are going to tear me a new one within minutes. I don't know why is this even a question. Do people really think being overweight is a net positive?

pessimizer 2y ago
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23280227/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23280227/ Association of all-cause mortality with overweight and obesity using standard body mass index categories: a systematic review and meta-analysis > Conclusions and Relevance: [...]overweight was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality.
watwut 2y ago
You gotta go higher in BMI for those to kick in. Basically, where you are within normal and slightly overweight bounds is mostly an aesthetic concern with slight lifespan advantage for slightly overweight people. When you move toward obese or into underweight category, health problems kick in.

lovethevoid 2y ago

Go here https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/index.html and enter your height and weight. If you fall above the healthy category, you are part of the obesity rate and are what most research points to when it comes to increased cardiovascular risk. Also for asians the numbers are slightly lower. I find that when I point this out, people often get mad. They feel they aren't obese. But the research doesn't support them, if you are anywhere outside of the "healthy" categorization you are at the same risk (that we know of so far) as "clinically obese" people.

hu3 2y ago
My result: 18.5 to 24.9. "Healthy Weight". I tried adding 10kgs and it said "Overweight". Seems ok to me. They even warn that BMI should be used along with other indicators.
- pessimizer 2y ago
  Mechanick, J. (2013). “What If” Being Overweight was Good For You? Endocrine Practice, 19(1), 166–168. https://doi.org/10.4158/endp.19.1.50042678317gx698 https://doi.org/10.4158/endp.19.1.50042678317gx698 The evidence that being overweight is healthier is a bit dubious, but the evidence that having a "normal" BMI is healthier than "overweight" is nonexistent.
orionsbelt 2y ago
Is it not the case that as BMI increases the risk increases? My BMI is not healthy - and I don’t deny that makes me subject to increased risk - but I would still think morbidly obese is far worse than obese which is worse than overweight, in terms of risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.
- throwway120385 2y ago
  That's essentially what "morbidly" means.
- Izkata 2y ago
  Not strictly. Over the past few decades I've occasionally but regularly seen evidence that "overweight but not obese" (BMI 25-30) might actually be healthier than a normal weight (BMI 18.5-25). In those studies obese did have a worse outcome than both. IIRC mostly they had to do with seasonal sicknesses like the flu, the theory being that your body can burn the extra fat during periods you aren't able to eat well.
JumpCrisscross 2y ago
> when I point this out, people often get mad. They feel they aren't obese We’ve normalised being fat.