Being Slightly Overweight Could Extend Life

2009-06-24 19:26:29 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Health & Fitness, News)

A new study suggests that being slightly overweight can add years to one

A new study suggests that a few extra pounds in weight could be beneficial.

Wired PR News – A recent study suggests that being a few pounds over weight may add years to one’s life. As reported by HealthDay News, researchers who conducted a study on over 11,000 adults in Canada found that those within a certain range of being overweight had generally led longer lives than those with normal weight.

Mark Kaplan, co-author of the study and a community health professor at Portland State University, is quoted by HealthDay as stating of the research, “It may be that a few extra pounds actually protect older people as their health declines, but that doesn’t mean that people in the normal weight range should try to put on a few pounds.”

As noted in the report, the study also suggests that being obese or underweight increased risks of death. David Feeny, co-author and Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research senior investigator, stated of the factor in the news release, “It’s not surprising that extreme underweight and extreme obesity increase the risk of dying, but it is surprising that carrying a little extra weight may give people a longevity advantage.”

More about the study may be found in the Obesity journal online.