A Gentle Reminder About the Fat

Even moderate excess weight is not a good thing for health and longevity over the long term, as the BBC reminds us: "The World Cancer Research Fund carried out the largest ever inquiry into lifestyle and cancer, and issued several stark recommendations. ... People with a Body Mass Index (BMI), a calculation which takes into account height and weight, of between 18.5 and 25, are deemed to be within a 'healthy' weight range. But the study says their risk increases as they head towards the 25 mark, and that everyone should try to be as close to the lower end as possible. There is no new research involved in this document: the panel examined 7,000 existing studies over five years." BMI is not a one size fits all measurement, but the general conclusions fit regardless of where exactly a sensible lifestyle choice - such as practicing calorie restriction - places you. Cancer is just one of many age-related conditions whose risk is strongly correlated with excess body fat over the years. Maybe the technology of tomorrow will be available in time to save you from the neglect of today. Equally, maybe it won't; is that something you really want to gamble on?

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7069914.stm