Can You Be Fit and Fat? Not So Fast…
Are you overweight but fit? Have you been told as long as you exercise and you don’t have health issues, you can keep those excess pounds with no health worries? A 2012 study from the National Cancer Institute found that moderately obese people actually lived about 3.1 years longer than normal-weight women and men. And another study from the European Heart Journal showed that as long as the person was free of metabolic disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes and other indicators, you could be considered ‘fit.’
Things have changed recently.
Now, a recent very large study just released November 2013 from the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, has shown that those who are over the BMI recommendation and did not have metabolic health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes as an example, still had a higher risk of dying over a 10 year span vs. those who were of normal weight and without metabolic health concerns. This flies in the face of the previously mentioned studies.
Why did previous studies come to the conclusion that you can be fat and fit?
According to the current study’s lead author, Dr. Caroline Kramer, the disparity most likely occurred due to the comparison of obese-healthy to obese-unhealthy, as opposed to comparing obese-healthy to normal weight and healthy individuals. Also, in previous studies, they were too small and/or most likely did not take into account the metabolic concerns such as pre-diabetes or other issues. Essentially, the term ‘healthy obesity’ is a myth.
Due to this important latest research, it is vital to take action on weight loss. Even a 5-10% reduction can improve all facets of health. Fat cells produce inflammatory molecules and thus set one up, not just for weight gain, for poor health as well.
Nutrition is 80% of your weight loss success – fitness is 20%. Begin by taking small steps to reduce your weight. You can begin here with simple everyday food swaps: /10-foods-that-are-making-you-fat/
To Your Health,
~Lori
Source: http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1784291
© 2013 DLS HealthWorks, LLC.
Lori Shemek, PhD, Health and weight loss expert, is the best-selling author of Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!