Energy balance
Maintaining a body-mass index (BMI) of 25.0 to 29.9 (overweight) during midlife (age 50) is associated with a 20 to 40 percent increased risk of death from any cause, independent of smoking and preexisting chronic disease.
If you are between 50 and 71 years old, your weight at age 50 is a strong predictor of your lifespan. Being 'overweight' (BMI 25-29.9) is not harmless; it is associated with a 20-40% higher risk of dying compared to being 'normal weight' (BMI 18.5-24.9). If you are currently overweight, focusing on gradual weight loss to reach the normal range is one of the most impactful actions you can take for longevity, especially if you have never smoked.
In analyses of BMI during midlife (age of 50 years) among those who had never smoked, the associations became stronger, with the risk of death increasing by 20 to 40 percent among overweight persons and by two to at least three times among obese persons
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort (N=527,265), long follow-up (10 years), rigorous adjustment for confounders (smoking, disease), but relies on self-reported height/weight.
Source
Overweight, Obesity, and Mortality in a Large Prospective Cohort of Persons 50 to 71 Years Old
Kenneth Adams et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2006
DOI 10.1056/nejmoa055643
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