MSN news and CNN have both announced that research is showing people 25-30 pounds overweight are actually proving healthier than people at alleged healthy normal weights. While they say those heavier are more likely to get kidney disease and diabetes, they're LESS likely to get cancer of any kind, any heart disease, and less likely to die of pnuemonia.

If what they say is true, I'm beter off than I thought since I can't seem to drop below 175 pounds...my mother on the other hand is worried because she's 96 pounds and the only time she's ever been overweight in her life is when she was pregnant. She also comments that all the people she knew who got kidney disease were all skinny and not overweight.

What's everybody think?

Who knows?

We've recently been advised the opposite -

"Being even slightly overweight can increase the risk of a range of common cancers including breast, bowel and pancreatic cancer, a landmark study has found."

But there's a difference between being skinny, being a normal, healthy weight, and overweight. And "normal" weight is subjective to many different factors. I'm 5'6" (almost) and my normal weight is about 140 lbs., whereas my best friend is the same height and her normal weight is 120 lbs. If I weighed the same as her, due to my bone structure, I'd be skinny as to the point of almost being emaciated. I can see where being honest to goodness skinny is unhealthy the same way that being morbidly obese is. I take these studies with a grain of salt and let my doctor advise me instead of these studies that seem to change year after year.

Yay now I'm healthy

Well, I'm screwed then, because I've been underweight since the 1st grade. I'm now a sophomore in college.

Eggs are healthy. Oh wait...they're not. Chocolate is bad for you. Oh wait...it's not. Sit-ups, wine, marijuana, etc. can be good or bad for you, depending on the context. I don't think any reasonable doctor would advocate a healthy person gaining 20 pounds. However, I *do* think a doctor might tell someone 50 pounds overweight that losing 25 pounds will have huge benefits.

It's all relative!

Aahh so that's why I've been yo-yo ing all these years,my body is listening to all these so called experts and acting accordingly.If you want to stay sane the best way is to take everything with a pinch of salt(wait a minute that's bad for you.... or is it?.
nee-nor-nee-nor, uh-oh here come the food police again!

My personal opinion - you need to be happy.

I'm happiest when I can fit into the clothes I want to wear. I don't want to wear clothes that a stick insect would find too tight. I don't want to wear clothes that have people mistaking me for a circus tent.

I have an aunt who spends her whole life obsessing about food. To her, the most important thing is that she is rail thin. She also has no friends, and even as family we do our best to avoid the woman. She's just plain mean. All she does is talk about how little she eats, and criticises all and sundry about what they are eating and how big they are, etc etc. It's not fun to be around.

My advice - be who you are. If you are prepared to accept whatever consequences that are possible this week, eat that slice of cake. Eat the whole thing if that's what you want.

Our obsession with food is simply ridiculous. I'm well over it.

Well said! I threw my scale away years ago, and now common sense and my blue jeans tell me what I should or shouldn't eat.

I'm with you, djsgal. Let your clothes talk to you.

I'm proud of the fact that I can still fit into the same pair of uniform trousers that I was first issued with 12 years ago. I go on holidays, and I have to fit into my trousers to go back to work. I've had some uncomfortable days in those trousers, I don't mind telling you. But rather than order a bigger size, I eat sensibly and *!VOILA!* - the trousers fit properly again after about a week.

I eat from the 4 food groups - chips, chocolate, cake and fizzy (soft drink) - when it suits. Most of the time, though, it's fresh fruit and veg. I'd much rather be chubby and happy, than thin and mean.

I think all of it has to do with what you eat and your life style ..if you sit in front of the tv or computer and get no exercize , your health will go down hill . They were not be any means talking about obese persons they were referring to people withing a few pounds of their 'ideal weight ' for the age , and height .

I've been hearing for years that the height-weight tables had been developed when people actually had more of a tendency to be underweight. So maybe what's considered "a few pounds overweight" is really within the normal, healthy range. That would make sense to me, also considering that the diet industry is a huge money making machine.

I agree that people should stop obsessin about their weight and instead concentrate on eating healthy food and finding an activity they enjoy. No matter what one's size, one can still be healthy.

All I have to say, is: Thank Goodness! That takes the size 15 boot off my throat...

Now this reminds me of a little story.

A beautiful American starlet was visiting Africa. She entertained a native chief with her wit and charm. At the end of the visit he said to her regretfully
'Now if only you were fat and black, you'd be perfect!'