Effects Of Obesity: Being Obese May Not Reduce Lifespan After All, Study Claims

Most people believe that obese individuals are more likely to die at an early age than those with normal body weight. However, a new study suggests that obesity may not shorten a person's lifespan after all.

The study -- conducted by Danish researchers -- involved the analysis of the death statistics of 110,000 Danes. Their findings show that the risk of death for obese and overweight people is now the same for people with normal body weight.

"In addition to obesity-related early death risk dropping to normal-weight levels, the team found that the BMI level linked to the lowest rate of all-cause early death had gone up by more than three units, rising from 23.7 in the 1970s to 27 in 2013," US News reports. A body mass index (BMI) of 27 is considered as overweight.

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The normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. People with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered as overweight and those with a BMI of 30 and above are considered as obese.

"But we don't know what's cause and what's effect," Dr. Borge Nordestgaard, study author and University of Copenhagen clinical professor, told US News. "And we only looked at the hardest endpoint, which is longevity, not quality of life."

In other words, obese and overweight people might have a longer lifespan nowadays, but they might also suffer from different diseases and health disorders while they are alive. The difference today is that the treatment and management of different disease symptoms related to obesity are much more advanced and effective.

There are many health conditions linked to obesity. These include heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, cancer, gallstones, gallbladder disease, gout, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, asthma and breathing difficulties, according to WebMD.

Therefore, maintaning a normal body weight through regular exercise and healthy diet is still essential. What do you think about this study? Share your thoughts in the comments below!