Could being fat
be just as bad as smoking cigarettes? A very interesting study from
Sweden reports that men who were obese at age 18 had the same risk for
premature death as those who were heavy smokers (more than ten cigarettes a
day). Those who were overweight at age 18 had the same risk for premature
death as those who were less heavy smokers (that's 10 or fewer cigarettes per
day). The study followed 46,000 men from age 18 to roughly age 56.
Compared to those who were a normal weight at age 18, those who were obese had
more than double the odds for premature death. That's similar to heavy
smokers. Those who were overweight increased their risk by about one
third. Being obese and a heavy smoker increased the odds of premature
death by five times. This was statistically the same as being a heavy
smoker or obese at age 18.
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