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Crazy-Makers: Dealing with Passive-Aggressive People

Why Are People Mean? Don't Take It Personally!

When You Have Been Betrayed

Struggling to Forgive: An Inability to Grieve

Happy Habits: 50 Suggestions

The Secret of Happiness: Let It Find You (But Make the Effort)

Excellence vs. Perfection

Depression is Not Sadness

20 Steps to Better Self-Esteem

7 Rules and 8 Methods for Responding to Passive-aggressive People

What to Do When Your Jealousy Threatens to Destroy Your Marriage

Happiness is An Attitude

Guide to How to Set Achieveable Goals

Catastrophe? Or Inconvenience?

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Audio Version of Article: Crazy-Makers: Passive-Aggressive People

Audio Version of Article: Why Are People Mean? Don't Take It Personally!

Audio Version of Article: Happiness Is An Attitude

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PsychNotes Index

More PsychNotes: Weight Control and Body Image

Is Being Overweight Healthy?
by Monica A. Frank, PhD

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You may have heard about research indicating that those who are overweight are less likely to die than normal-weight people of the same age and gender. Dr. Carl Lavie has written about this in his book “The Obesity Paradox.” However, be cautious about taking this research as permission to overeat and not care about your weight as there are some issues to consider.

First, it is necessary to understand the medical definition of “overweight.” The lay public will often use the term when referring to any level of being over normal weight including those who would be in the category of “severely obese.” However, the medical definition is tied to the body mass index (BMI) and refers to someone who has a BMI in the range of 25 to 25.9 but not those who are above 30 BMI (which is considered obese).

So this research does not indicate that any degree of being overweight is healthy but a very specific range that may be equivalent to 25 or 30 pounds overweight (depending on your height). Generally, the higher mortality risk is associated with a BMI above 35 (more than 60 pounds over normal weight).

In addition, a very critical factor is the level of fitness. Thus, this research indicates that those who are in the overweight category and are physically fit may be healthier than those in the normal-weight category. This shows that exercise and healthy eating may be more important than the number on the scale (within limits). This also indicates that those of normal weight need to consider physical fitness. Normal weight without fitness does not necessarily equal health.

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