Key points from article :
People who became overweight but not obese as they aged tended to live longer.
4,576 study participants and 3,753 of their children were included in the latest analysis.
Normal weight at age 31 years and overweight status in middle or later adulthood have the lowest mortality risk.
Same was true for offspring of the original group.
Followed by people who are considered overweight but were able to maintain a stable weight.
Obese in early adulthood and then gained more weight with age showed the highest mortality rate.
“Moderate weight gain...may confer some survival benefits,” - Hui Zheng, lead author of the study.
“Not all weight gain is represented by fat mass.” - Samer Mattar, professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
Using BMI as a standard metric has its limitations.
Mattar recommends moderation in food choices and portion sizes, along with adequate physical activity.
Research by Ohio State University published in the Journal Annals of Epidemiology.
