Australian National University-led research has busted the myth that overweight people live longer than people with a lower body mass index (BMI).
The research examined the way in which data were analysed in a range of studies, some of which had suggested that overweight people can actually live longer and others which had suggested the contrary.
The new study published in the peer-reviewed online journal PLOS ONE provides direct evidence as to why some studies can come up with apparently different results.
"The results are in. The clear truth is that people who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of premature death," said lead author Dr Grace Joshy, from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH).
"It is a pretty simple truth, especially given the clear evidence that the risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer, Australia's biggest killers, are higher for those who are overweight or obese."
The ANU-led study looked at factors such as the width of the BMI categories used and pre-existing illness, to examine why some studies suggested a link between being overweight and longer life expectancy.
Research busts myth about weight
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