Is being overweight really unhealthy?

[The Snazzylands]

Of course BMI isn't the best measure of health for everyone, but most people who are overweight aren't heavy because they're lifting weights. It's too much body fat.

In conclusion, put down the fork, tubby. Pushing fat acceptance won't keep the diabetes at bay or prevent your heart from giving out at 45. If you screw this body up, you don't get another one.

[Russoslava]

I work in the medical field as an EMT, being overweight is not healthy and no, being fat is not a body type. What people mean when they say that there are large body types they mean something similar to mine, Tall, broad-shouldered, wide hips, tree trunk legs, large hands, and feet. The BMI chart does not account for the size of a person frame. I.E Bone and Muscle structure. I will never be under 200 pounds because my bones, organs, and muscles would equal that if I had not body fat. Being fat is not a body type.

[Cekoviu]

Of course BMI isn't the best measure of health for everyone, but most people who are overweight aren't heavy because they're lifting weights. It's too much body fat.

In conclusion, put down the fork, tubby. Pushing fat acceptance won't keep the diabetes at bay or prevent your heart from giving out at 45. If you screw this body up, you don't get another one.

Until we advance medical technology some more.

[Oppermenia]

It's a complicated question. According to BMI, I am not only overweight but obese. However, all other medical measurements of mine are good - blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. And, I don't experience any joint problems or negative effects from my weight.

If we go by definition, then yes. Overweight literally means, as I saw someone comment, an unhealthy amount of weight. However, the BMI scale is inaccurate. It does not take into account muscle mass, and the proportions of someone's body, or weight distribution. So, the answer to this question would be yes. However, I think what we define as being overweight is flawed and needs to be changed, since weight affects everyone differently and the BMI scale doesn't factor in a lot of things.

[Nova Cyberia]

Uh, yes. Being overweight is inherently unhealthy. Only in the current year with the idiotic fat acceptance movement does a question as dumb as this even need to be asked.

[Cekoviu]

Uh, yes. Being overweight is inherently unhealthy. Only in the current year with the idiotic fat acceptance movement does a question as dumb as this even need to be asked.

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

[Nova Cyberia]

Uh, yes. Being overweight is inherently unhealthy. Only in the current year with the idiotic fat acceptance movement does a question as dumb as this even need to be asked.

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

No, it isn't. Being overweight increases your risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer, etc. It is, by every conceivable metric, unhealthy.

And I say this as someone who is overweight.

[Cekoviu]

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

No, it isn't. Being overweight increases your risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer, etc. It is, by every conceivable metric, unhealthy.

And I say this as someone who is overweight.

It means you're on average more likely to have or get those things. Here's the thing, though. People who are perfectly healthy and actually fine in terms of fat, cholesterol, etc. may be classified as overweight because they have too much muscle mass. Being overweight isn't the problem; being unhealthy is. In fact, many people who are normal weight are less healthy than some people who are overweight.

[NERVUN]

Yes.

What a silly question.

BMI is of course not the best way to determine if you are overweight and as I understand it, many doctors don't use it to say so. It, like your scale number, is just a quick and handy way to let you know you might want to get this checked by an actual medical professional.

Who is not a talking head on TV.

[Agarntrop]

yes

[Nova Cyberia]

No, it isn't. Being overweight increases your risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer, etc. It is, by every conceivable metric, unhealthy.

And I say this as someone who is overweight.

It means you're on average more likely to have or get those things. Here's the thing, though. People who are perfectly healthy and actually fine in terms of fat, cholesterol, etc. may be classified as overweight because they have too much muscle mass. Being overweight isn't the problem; being unhealthy is. In fact, many people who are normal weight are less healthy than some people who are overweight.

Yeah it is. And guess what? If you're more likely to get those things then you're unhealthy.

Sure, plenty of skinny people are unhealthy. That still does not change the fact that being overweight increases your chances of getting any number of unsavory things. Other people being unhealthy is irrelevant.

[Cekoviu]

It means you're on average more likely to have or get those things. Here's the thing, though. People who are perfectly healthy and actually fine in terms of fat, cholesterol, etc. may be classified as overweight because they have too much muscle mass. Being overweight isn't the problem; being unhealthy is. In fact, many people who are normal weight are less healthy than some people who are overweight.

Yeah it is. And guess what? If you're more likely to get those things then you're unhealthy.

Sure, plenty of skinny people are unhealthy. That still does not change the fact that being overweight increases your chances of getting any number of unsavory things. Other people being unhealthy is irrelevant.

I like how you ignored the key part. And it's not that being overweight directly causes you to be more likely to have e.g. high cholesterol, but that if you have high cholesterol you're also likely to be overweight (a correlation rather than causation).