For those of us who have dined too well, I have very good news. Instapundit links to a study reported at MedicalXpress which found that there isn't any significant loss of longevity associated with being somewhat overweight.
The life expectancy among overweight people—those with a body mass index between 25 and 29.9—wasn't generally shorter than for people in the normal BMI range, controlling for factors such as age and whether they smoked.
In fact, a 2013 paper—which analyzed nearly 100 studies that included more than 2.8 million people—found that being overweight slightly reduced mortality risk. (the life expectancy among overweight people—those with a body mass index between 25 and 29.9—wasn't generally shorter than for people in the normal BMI range, controlling for factors such as age and whether they smoked.
In fact, a 2013 paper—which analyzed nearly 100 studies that included more than 2.8 million people—found that being overweight slightly reduced mortality risk. (That wasn't the case for those considered obese, with a BMI at or above 30.)
Apropos of the above, I'd share with you a funny incident in my past. Some decades ago a rail thin physician was nagging me to lose weight. He asked me, "You don't know anyone overweight who has lived to be old, do you?" I replied, "Only my parents, they died at 84 and 93." His rueful reply was, "You will probably live to be old and fat."
Indeed I have. Be of good cheer, you may do it too.
