14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like there are certain perks to being either overweight or downright obese. Thus, researchers say that, according to recent data, packing a tad too much body fat appears to somehow protect from cardiovascular mortality.
Specifically, a meta-analysis of 36 previous studies has revealed that, when compared to people whose BMI falls within the normal range and to underweight individuals, overweight and obese people have the lowest cardiovascular mortality risk.
Besides, it looks like folks classified as too plump for their own good have an over 20% lower all-cause mortality risk than people considered to be of a normal weight. However, there is one small catch, Medical Express informs.
In a nutshell, these lower mortality risks were documented in the case of people suffering from various heart diseases and who were subjected to various medical procedures, specialists explain in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
What this means is that the meta-analysis' findings are merely an indicator of the fact that obesity is not as big a risk factor in medical procedures as previously believed. Mind you, it's still bad for one's health.
For the time being, researchers are unable to explain the underlying causes of this phenomenon, now referred to as the obesity paradox. However, several theories have been formulated.
“One explanation may be that overweight patients are more likely to be prescribed cardioprotective medications such as beta blockers and statins and in higher doses than the normal weight population.”
“This population may have a higher metabolic reserve, which might act protectively in chronic conditions like CAD [coronary heart disease],” explains specialist Abhishek Sharma.