Research
Mixed
Low BMI (underweight) is associated with increased mortality primarily due to respiratory diseases, while high BMI (overweight/obese) is associated with increased mortality due to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Your weight matters for different reasons depending on where you are. If you are underweight, you are at higher risk for respiratory diseases like TB and COPD. If you are overweight or obese, you are at higher risk for heart disease and cancer. Aim for a BMI of 23-24.9 to minimize both risks.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
The risk of death from respiratory causes was higher among subjects with a lower BMI, and the risk of death from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or cancer was higher among subjects with a higher BMI.
Why this rating
Large cohort allows for specific cause-of-death analysis.
Source
Body-Mass Index and Mortality in Korean Men and Women
Sun Ha Jee et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2006
DOI 10.1056/nejmoa054017
cohort · n=1213829Cited 852×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Maintaining a BMI between 23.0 and 24.9 is associated with the lowest risk of all-cause mortality in Korean adults, establishing an optimal weight range lower than standard Western classifications.Strong
- The mortality risk associated with high BMI is significantly attenuated in individuals aged 65 years or older, suggesting that strict weight control may be less critical for longevity in the elderly.Strong
Related findings · Mixed
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