Survival of the fattest: Why we're wrong about obesity


Weight tells you far less about a person's health than you might think (Image: Richard I'Anson/Getty)


Can you be fat and fit? Everything we think we know about obesity may be wrong – sometimes it be could actually be good for you


IN 2002, cardiologist Carl Lavie began to see a confusing trend. The people he was treating for heart failure were living longer if they were obese or overweight than if they were thin. How could that be right? Obesity is notoriously bad for your heart and every other part of your body.


In the US, obesity is one of the biggest causes of preventable deaths after smoking. Worldwide, it has been linked to chronic diseases like hypertension, stroke, heart disease and type-2 diabetes. Even so, the world keeps getting fatter, a trend that may mean we will all be obese by mid-century, propelling those of ...


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