A study has found that being overweight can cut life expectancy by between one and 10 years. The findings contradict evidence of an "obesity paradox," which indicated that overweight people did not die sooner.
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The study pointed to evidence that the risk of death before an individual's 70th birthday grew "steadily and steeply" along with a broadening waistline.
The study, published in The Lancet, a leading UK medical journal, found that moderately overweight people lost about a year of life expectancy on average, but that mortality soared in those with more serious weight problems.
"On average, overweight people lose about one year of life expectancy, and moderately obese people lose about three years of life expectancy," said Emanuele Di Angelantonio from Britain's University of Cambridge.
"Severely obese people lose about 10 years of life expectancy."
The study used data from almost four million adults on four continents, which was sifted through by a large team of international researchers.
The information, described as the largest-ever pooled dataset on being overweight and mortality, was gathered from 239 large studies conducted between 1970 and 2015 in 32 countries in North America, Europe, Australasia, and southern and eastern Asia.
The team excluded current or former smokers, as well as those who had chronic diseases at the beginning of the studies.
Extra pounds worse for men
Another of the authors, Richard Peto of Oxford University, said that being obese was far more dangerous for men than it was for women. Obese men have higher fat levels and risk of diabetes than women with a similar Body Mass Index.
"The excess risk of premature death is about three times as big for a man who gets fat as for a woman who gets fat," Peto said.
A number of recent studies had indicated that obesity might not be as detrimental to life expectancy as previously thought, because of protective benefits that corpulent people enjoyed against certain diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that some 1.3 billion adults worldwide are overweight, while a further 600 million are obese. In Europe, the prevalence of adult obesity is 20 percent, while the amount rises to 31 percent in North America.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) some 2.3 billion people are overweight – the result of unhealthy diets and insufficient exercise. We have 10 tips for battling body fat and losing weight.
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Avoid crash diets!
Crash diets can help you lose weight quickly, but most of it comprises water and muscle mass. The little fat that is actually broken down will be replenished by the body once you’ve finished dieting – as a reserve for extreme situations. Crash diets also have side-effects such as headaches, nausea and bad breath. For a long-term solution, the only way is to completely reform your eating habits.
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Yes to slimming agents!
People determined to keep their weight low after shedding the pounds should have fruit and vegetables dominating their daily intake. Most varieties contain a lot of minerals and vitamins, are largely comprised of water, and have a very low calorie content. You should also drink plenty of water to stimulate digestion. The same applies for spicy food.
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No to calorific concoctions!
The worst culprits include not only fat but also refined carbohydrates such as processed flour products, instant meals, and all foods with a high level of regular supermarket sugar or fructose – not forgetting sweet drinks and fast food. Plus: avoid alcohol, because it has twice as many calories as protein or sugar.
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Change your eating habits!
There are various steps of action that will help your dieting … Eat three regular meals a day, with breakfast optionally the biggest. The slower you eat, the faster you will feel sated. Stop eating well before you are 100% full. And use smaller plates, as this gives you the feeling of having eaten enough.
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Exercise!
Regular physical exercise is crucial for losing weight. Sporting activity increases our energy consumption and burns off fat. Power walking or aqua aerobics are sound options to start off with, as they take the load off your spine and joints. Later you can move on to endurance sports such as running, cycling and swimming – in 30-minute sessions at least three times a week.
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Sleep sufficiently!
Sleeping badly will leave you hungrier the next day. Getting insufficient rest leads to a hormone malfunction that causes sudden cravings, while your metabolism rate plummets because you’re eating more. Your leptin level that triggers that full feeling decreases, while the appetite-producing hormones ghrelin and orexin increase. Losing weight therefore means sleeping enough as well.
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Take cold baths!
Cold baths stimulate fat combustion, and help you lose weight. In particular, cold water boosts our metabolism by activating the brown fat on the thighs, hips and behind. The water temperature should begin at 20° Celsius and drop to 15° C (but no lower) by the end. Taking a cold bath for 15 minutes a day will give you a turbocharged metabolism all day long.
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Build up your muscles!
Muscle mass makes up around 40% of your body weight, and even without activity burns up three times more calories than fat tissue. Muscles consume calories day and night, and are a major fat killer. Trained muscles are far more efficient fat combustion engines than untrained ones. The more muscle mass, the higher the burning of energy and fat!
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Reduce stress!
Stress is among the most significant mental factors promoting excess weight. Relieving stress is therefore helpful. Stress hormones play a big role in our hunger and eating behavior, and can lead to uncontrolled cravings – even when the body does not in fact need any food. A stress-free life is among the best fat fighters.
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Never go shopping while hungry!
If you’re feeling peckish when out shopping, you are bound to end up with items in your basket or trolley that have no place on a diet menu. It’s best to do your groceries after eating. With a full stomach you are less likely to succumb to the countless temptations on display.
