Heart Disease and Obesity not Linked

Finally, research to back it up, being overweight does not mean you are doomed to be unhealthy!

A survey by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the US has confirmed that more than half of overweight people and almost a third of obese Americans do not have a higher risk of cardiac disease. These results defy conventional belief on the subject of obesity - that fat is the root of all evil!

'We kind of got it into our heads that obesity is automatically bad for you,' said Rachel Wildman, a principal co-author of the report. 'But this study shows that there is a subset of obese individuals who don't develop adverse effects.'

Government data was taken from 5,440 people who filled out questionnaires and whose levels of risk factors were measured between 1999 and 2004. They discovered that 51% of overweight adults, translating to 36 million people nationwide, have mostly normal levels of heart disease indicators. Almost 32% of obese individuals, or nearly 20 million people, were likewise found to be 'metabolically healthy.'

Obviously this research ONLY looks at cardiovascular disease and doesn't imply that there are no health risks with being overweight. As a plus size woman, my belief is as long as you eat a healthy and balanced diet and take regular exercise you're on the path to a healthy life whatever your weight.

UK Obesity Epidemic

Recently there has been much media speculation about the supposed obesity epidemic plaguing the UK. Jane Feinmann of the Independent interviewed Professor Patrick Basham to get to the fact in this argument. He says there is no real evidence to back up the claims.The claim, which states that half of the British population will be obese in 25 years time, makes many assumptions which have yet to be confirmed as fact. For example every overweight child will have to become an overweight adult and every overweight adult will have to progress to obesity for the figures to be true. There has been no research to prove this is the case.

So what about the adults that will all become obese? In 1997 the BMI classification of being overweight was changed from 27 to 25. Overnight millions of people previously classed as normal suddenly sat in the overweight category, and based on the epidemic claim they will all become obese. So although it is true that Body Mass Index statistics show a significant increase in overweight adults over the past decade this is an extraordinary case of moving the goalposts.

Although I am under no illusion that being severely obese can cause certain health problems, there is a common misconception that being overweight means you are automatically unhealthy. At a size 20 I exercise daily and eat a balanced and healthy diet which involves very little junk food. I am overweight and fighting fit. I purchase my clothes mainly online from the growing number of quality plus size clothing specialists like Curvety.com and take pride in looking great - and turning heads!