A U.S. study, in no way to promote being overweight, found that the people who are slightly overweight actually have a slightly less risk of death.

The study was based the data from three US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, conducted in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The data included body mass index and deaths in a sample of the American population.

The study found that those who were moderately overweight have a lower risk of death compared to those with an optimum weight.

Those with body mass index (BMI) from 30 to 35 had their risk increas only slightly. Only those with BMI over 35 had their risk increas greatly. In contrast, those with a BMI of 18.5 or less faced a slightly higher risk.

However, the study only looked at the association between the BMI and deaths. Other diseases or disability associated with obesity were not considered in the study.

Previously, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated obesity-caused deaths at 360,000 a year. CDC admitted later that the real number of deaths caused by being obese is about 110,000. The current study estimated obesity associated deaths at 25,000 a year.

The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.#

David Liu is a freelance writer for foodconsumer.org

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