Half of Overweight Adults May Be Heart-Healthy

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Washington Post article

http://tinyurl.com/5od7od

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The first national estimate of its kind bolsters the argument that

you can be hefty but still healthy, or at least healthier than has

been believed.

The results also show that stereotypes about body size can be

misleading, and that even " less voluptuous " people can have risk

factors commonly associated with obesity, said study author Fran

Sowers, a University of Michigan obesity researcher.

" We're really talking about taking a look with a very different lens "

at weight and health risks, Sowers said.

In the study, about 51 percent of overweight adults, or roughly 36

million people nationwide, had mostly normal levels of blood

pressure, cholesterol, blood fats called triglycerides and blood

sugar.

Almost one-third of obese adults, or nearly 20 million people, also

were in this healthy range, meaning that none or only one of those

measures was abnormal.

Yet about a fourth of adults in the recommended-weight range had

unhealthy levels of at least two of these measures. That means some

16 million of them are at risk for heart problems.

It's no secret that thin people can develop heart-related problems

and that fat people often do not. But that millions defy the

stereotypes will come as a surprise to many people.