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We've long heard that the Mediterranean Diet is how all of us should eat. The diet, inspired by the coastal cuisine of such countries as Greece, Italy and southern France, is characterized by its abundant portions of fruits and vegetables, frequent meals of fish and poultry, use of olive oil and spices for seasoning, and red wine in moderation. Red meat and butter are limited, and grains are mostly whole. The diet has been studied for its effects on heart disease, weight loss, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. And it's arguably a more pleasurable way of eating than, say, the strict Paleo and Ketogenic diets, or the faddish but not necessarily effective low-carbohydrate diet.

But it won't work if you're poor.

That's the latest finding from a team of Italian researchers, who studied 18,000 men and women over a four-year period. They found that the Mediterranean Diet reduced the risk of heart disease by 15 percent - but only for people who made more than approximately $46,000 a year. There were no observed cardiovascular benefits for people who made less than that amount.

The study, which was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, also found that highly educated people - who may be likely to have higher incomes - did better on the diet, in part because they selected a wider variety of vegetables and were more likely to eat whole grains. The more varied a person's diet is, the more types of nutrients they consume. Highly educated participants were also more likely to buy organic food.

The study "found that higher-SES subjects tend to consume more organic vegetables which can contain higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower concentrations of cadmium and a lower incidence of pesticide residues, as compared with conventionally grown foods. We might then speculate that the quality of the bundle of foods that make up the MD actually differs across SES."

So, it doesn't just matter that you adhere to the tenets of the Mediterranean Diet - it matters what kind of foods you pick within its framework, how that food was grown and how you prepare it. The findings will inevitably contribute to the ongoing discussion of food inequality, or how access to healthful food is a tenet of social justice.

We have long known that poorer Americans lack access to nutritious food and full-service grocery stores. They are more likely to rely on processed or fast foods. One recent study found that this nutritional gap is widening. "Price is a major determinant of food choice, and healthful foods generally cost more than unhealthful foods in the United States," that study said. It also found a link between education and healthy eating, suggesting that programs to teach low-socioeconomic status people how to choose and prepare cheap healthy meals - and the benefits they can derive from such choices - are important.

And that's what the Italian research team's takeaway is. "These results support the need to adopt more effective strategies aiming to reduce socioeconomic disparities in health, not only by promoting the adoption of healthy eating patterns but also by facilitating access to foods with higher nutritional values," they wrote.

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The Mediterranean diet works but not if you're poor, a study finds - Chicago Tribune

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Maybe John F. Kelly can actually do it. If so, he will be the first.

Politico reports that the new White House chief of staff plans to restrict the flow of information to President Trump including news media reports in the hope of keeping the boss on a more even keel. Here's a bit from reporter Josh Dawsey:

When new White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly huddled with senior staff on his first day at work, he outlined a key problem in President Donald Trumps White House that he planned to fix: bad information getting into the presidents hands.

Kelly told the staff that information needed to flow through him whether on paper or in briefings because the president would make better decisions if given good information.

Kelly's diagnosis makes perfect sense, but others have tried and failed to tame Trump by monitoring his media diet.

President Trump's relationship with television goes back decades and now that he's in the White House, his TV-watching habit is still going strong. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

If candidate Trump was upset about unfair coverage, it was productive to show him that he was getting fair coverage from outlets that were persuadable, Sam Nunberg, a former campaign adviser, told Politico in February.

Politico's Tara Palmeri wrote at the time that the key to keeping Trumps Twitter habit under control, according to six former campaign officials, is to ensure that his personal media consumption includes a steady stream of praise.

Okay. But the idea that Trump's Twitter habit has ever been under control is laughable. Maybe these campaign officials know something the rest of us don't that Trump's tweets would have been even more inflammatory if not for their interventions.

We'll probably never know about tweets that Trump didn't send. If his staffersmanaged to him out of trouble even a few times, then their efforts were worthwhile. But no one has been able to consistently prevent Trump from stirring up controversy.

Part of the problem is that in a White House composed of competing factions, people invariably try to advance their agendas by presenting Trump with material which may or may not be reliable that promotes their worldviews.

Politico all over this story reported in May on advisers' penchants for strategically feeding dubious information to the president. This was one example, described by reporter Shane Goldmacher:

Current and former Trump officials say Trump can react volcanically to negative press clips, especially those with damaging leaks, becoming engrossed in finding out where they originated.

That is what happened in late February when someone mischievously gave the president a printed copy of an article from GotNews.com, the website of Internet provocateur Charles C. Johnson, which accused deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh of being the source behind a bunch of leaks in the White House.

No matter that Johnson had been permanently banned from Twitter for harassment or that he offered no concrete evidence or that he had lobbed false accusations in the past and recanted them. Trump read the article and began asking staff about Walsh.

Goldmacher added that then-chief of staff Reince Priebus and White House staff secretary Rob Porter have tried to implement a system to manage and document the paperwork Trump receives. How'd that work out?

Kelly is trying to do the same thing, three months later. Perhaps he will prove a more effective manager than Priebus, but Trump is still his impulsive self, and his aides are still vying for influence. Those immutable factors will make Kelly's mission very difficult.

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Trump's new chief of staff plans to restrict the president's media diet. Others have tried and failed. - Washington Post

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By 2035, a third of the Canadian population will be over 60 years old. And Kinesiology PhD student Nrlon Boa Sorte Silva wants to make sure every one of them stays active and engaged in life via exercise.

In a recent study, Boa Sorte Silva showed that mind-motor training an activity that simultaneously engages both cognitive function and movement used in association with regular exercise helped older adults stave off the effects of dementia more than just regular exercise alone. These findings could open the door to new physical activity programs and approaches for older adults.

"When we think of older population's needs, in terms of overall health, it is exercise. But we also need to think of cognition," Boa Sorte Silva explained. "We want to target cognitive health as well as overall health."

Originally, Boa Sorte Silva arrived at Western in 2014 for a three-month research project with Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Kinesiology professor Robert Petrella. He has since been fast-tracked for his PhD in Kinesiology.

In his recent research project, conducted in association with Petrella, Boa Sorte Silva followed two groups taking part in exercise programs: One group focused on exercise alone. A second group focused on exercise combined with mind-motor training, in this case, a square-stepping exercise on a gridded floor mat.

With the mind-motor training, subjects performed stepping patterns that slowly got more complicated. They watched a pattern and then attempted to repeat it.

Boa Sorte Silva recently presented his research at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference this past month in London, England.

The study found the group that combined exercise and mind-motor training showed greater improvement in cognition, global cognitive functioning and memory. As a side benefit, Boa Sorte Silva said group participants were more socially engaged, as the mind-motor training required participants to encourage and help each other out.

"They become more self-aware of the importance of training cognition and mobility," he said.

Petrella agreed. Earlier studies showed that older people who are more socially engaged tend to be more cognitively intact and enjoy life more.

"It's not just about exercise. We know epidemiologically exercise is associated with having better cognitive function. But if you can think about other ways people improve their cognitive ability in the long term such as puzzles and dancing all those things may have an impact," Petrella said.

In certain regions of the brain, mobility and cognitive functions co-exist. If you can make a change to that part of the brain, you could can get dual benefit. "And we're finding that," Petrella said.

Explore further: How physical exercise prevents dementia

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Mind-body maximizes benefits of exercise to seniors - Medical Xpress

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Aleman, 18, came up with the concept for his summer rec class when he was just 13 years old as part of a project for a leadership program. For kids here, our summers are just staying at home while our parents work, he said. My summers were spent watching TV and being lazy because there was nothing else I could do.

RELATED: This Amazing Human is Running 100K for 100 Days for Faith

So Aleman decided to create a physical fitness class available to everyone regardless of their age, gender or income. The class is held twice a week for eight weeks every summer at the Perl Mack Community Center in Denver. I definitely would say it's popular with the community here, said Aleman, who has taught about 25 students for the past five years.

I know that the kids really like the class. They always say thank you at the end and that always makes me feel good.

Each hour-long session includes math relays, dodgeball and, of course, running.

ALSO: Teach Kids to Love Running

I always make sure we have a running component because I think that's super important, said Aleman, who started running when his godfather showed him how it could increase his endurance for soccer. Running is something I've always enjoyed because it made me feel good about myself. It gave me a time where I could relax, where I didn't have to worry about the stress of school.

Above, try these weekly workouts

Now the University of Denver freshman, who has completed two marathons, is paying it forward by helping other kids find bliss through their own mind-body connection. My main goal is for them to have fun and get healthy and learn to exercise properly, said Aleman, who plans to continue teaching the program even after he starts college this fall. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up but I do know that I want to get the skills to make sure that Healthy Kids In Action grows.

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Meet the Extraordinary Teen Helping Kids in His City Get in Shape - Runner's World

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Spring Hill Senior Center

The Spring Hill Senior Center, called The Neighbors Place, provides fellowship and a noon meal for a $3 donation each weekday at the Spring Hill Civic Center, 401 N. Madison St. Exercise classes are held Mondays and Fridays.

Contact: Gloria Hicks, site manager (913) 592-3180.

SPRING HILL CHAMBER

The Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to helping improve the communitys business climate.

The chambers office is in the Spring Hill Community Center at 613 S. Race St.

The telephone and fax number is (913) 592-3893. The website is springhillks.org, and the chamber also can be reached by email at chamber@springhillks.org.

Ann Jensen is the executive director and Kim Thompson is the president of the board. Office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment.

The organization focuses on providing marketing opportunities and educational seminars for businesses. It also provides an informational folder to prospective businesses and welcome packets to new residents.

Each year, the chamber sponsors a forum at which lawmakers discuss actions of the Kansas Legislature. The chamber also arranges a legislative luncheon in Topeka. During election years, the chamber invites candidates to speak at a forum.

Spring Hill Historical Society

Members get together to have fun and fellowship, and a program is featured. People of all ages are invited, including students.

The societys goal is to preserve and honor the history of Spring Hills past through guest speakers, artifact preservations, and discussions on historical music, poetry and letters.

The group usually meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. during the school year, except in December, at Spring Hill Civic Center, 401 N. Madison St. Meetings are occasionally held in different locations for special programs. A schedule is available at the citys website, http://www.springhillks.com.

SPRING HILL LIBRARY

109 S. Webster St.

Spring Hill, KS 66083

(913) 826-4600

Website:www.jocolibrary.org

Hours:10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 1-8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, closed Fridays and Sundays.

The Spring Hill Library, a branch of the Johnson County Library, has served patrons in the Spring Hill area since 1982.

More than 17,000 books, videos, compact discs and cassettes are available. The library subscribes to a variety of magazines, and current issues of the Miami County Republic, Olathe News, USA Today and Kansas City Star are also available.

The card catalog is computerized and linked to the rest of the Johnson County and Olathe public library systems and Worldwide Libraries for Interlibrary loan. A periodicals index database is full-text and readable on-screen. Those articles also can be printed.

The library offers year-round activities for children. A calendar listing dates and locations of activities throughout the library system is available at all branches. The library offers public access to the Internet on a first-come, first-serve basis.

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Spring Hill Resources - Miami County Republic

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Surgeons to discuss weight loss options

The Lakeland Comprehensive Weight Loss Center is offering a series of free seminars, Lose Weight ... Find Health.

The first seminar will beWednesday in the Community Conference Room at Lakeland Medical Suites, 42 N. St. Joseph Ave., Niles.

A second seminar will be Aug. 16 in the Frederick S. Upton Education Center at Lakeland Medical Center, St. Joseph, 1234 Napier Ave.

Both seminars will befrom 6:30-8 p.m.

Bariatric surgeons Jill Gorsuch and Michael Schuhknecht will discuss programs available for losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight.

The Weight Loss Center workswith each person to create a customized lifestyle plan, including medical weight loss management through diet or bariatric surgery, nutrition counseling, exercise programs and monthly support groups.

For more information, or to register for the seminar, visit http://www.lakelandweightlosscenter.com or call 687-4673.

Bones in Balance class starts Tuesday

ST. JOSEPH Lakeland Orthopedic Physical Therapy now is enrolling participants for Bones in Balance, a program designed to teach those diagnosed with osteoporosis and osteopenia how to live with these conditions through self-management.

Bones in Balance incorporates education and exercise, and is led by specially trained physical therapists. The program includes tips from a pharmacist, registered dietitian and nurse educator.

Classes are from 9-11:30 a.m. or 5-7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Aug. 8-31 at the Center for Outpatient Services, 3900 Hollywood Road.

A physicians order is required to participate.

There is a $25 registration fee to cover the cost of materials. The remaining amount is billable to insurance.

For more info, or to register, call 556-7150.

CPR class offered at Lakeland Health

NILES Lakeland Health will host a free CPR training class from 6-9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the meeting room at Lakeland Hospital, Niles, 31 N. St. Joseph Ave.

This course is for anyone 16 or older with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in CPR and AED use to meet job, regulatory or other requirements.

Participants will earn a two-year certification for HeartSaver CPR AED from the American Heart Association.

Registration is required by calling 556-2808.

VIPs meeting Thursday afternoon

SOUTH HAVEN The South Haven Area Visually Impaired Persons Support Group and Diabetes Awareness meeting will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Robert Warren Center, 540 Williams St.

Those whohave diabetes, are visually impaired, or who have been recently diagnosed with a sight-threatening disease are encouraged to attend.

For more information, call 637-1418.

Continued here:
In brief - Herald Palladium

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Its been nearly a week since a trailer forThe Jared Lorenzen Project was posted on Facebook, and former Kentucky and New York Giants quarterback Jared Lorenzen can count on one hand the number of negative responses hes received among the thousands of comments hes gotten.

Actually, its just one finger.

Thats how much people family, friends he hasnt heard from in a while, and fans have thrown their support behind the man known for being one of the bigger quarterbacks ever to suit up in the NFL as he tries to lose weight and live a healthier life.

Lorenzen spoke toFor The Winon Thursday afternoon in an edited and condensed interview to break down his attempt to lose weight after reaching over 500 pounds, what his goals are, and how hes going on a nationwide tour to help others combat obesity.

(Getty Images)

Its been much better than I thought. Some people with social media, they can hide and be anonymous, but its actually been comforting, seeing the three to four thousand responses and I can name one that was negative. A lot of my friends, a lot of people I havent talked to in a long time, a lot of people I never met are getting behind this and behind me.

Antoine Walker had a documentary made about him. And I met Anthony Holt there and he said, Hey I want to do a project with you. I knew how Hollywood is, and I said, Sure, sure, yeah. Then Walker and I went into the [University of Kentucky] Hall of Fame together and Anthony was there saying, I want to do something! It started there. Then we started talking more and more and then he got Gunnar Peterson and Dr. Philip Goglia on board and it started to take shape. The past two years have been crazy. I cant imagine what this one will be like.

I have always been someone I think bigger people reach out to. Kids come up to me and say, I get to try out at quarterback now because of how big you were, they think, you never know, I could be a quarterback. And I think its neat that they get the opportunity because I was big and they cant count that out now. My Twitter and Facebook are full of, Hey I weight 400 pounds, I want to do this with you. Or Hey, I lost 118 pounds in 18 months, just stay with it, you can do it. The response has been something I never believed could happen on social media. No matter how good something is, there are always people out there cut it down, but this hasnt has that.

I lived on a scale for 10 years of my life, worrying about 0.2 and 0.4 pounds all of the time. When youre getting bigger, you buy yourself a bigger shirt or a bigger pair of pants, you dont think much of it. Then I jumped on a scale and saw that. Oh no, I didnt realize it was that bad. I thought, something needs to be done. Im at doctors appointments, Im making sure my blood pressure is better. Ive always made jokes and I always will but its not funny when youre 36. When youre 25 or 30, ha ha, whatever, but at 36, its like, as I said in the trailer, if I die tonight, they wouldnt say, Oh what a tragic loss. Itd be, Well look how big he was.

Im still me. The process itself is not going to change. What will change is nutrition and helping kids. What it wont change is how can I put it? Im a smartass! Some of the stuff on Twitter is me just being a smart aleck and having fun with fans. I could weight 110 pounds and I am still going to give Louisville as much grief as I can because thats our rival. Some of the stuff wont change. What youll see, especially on my Facebook side, is more of what Im doing, where people can meet up with me, the kids Im helping. The Twitter side? Youll see some of that, but Ill still be me.

Ill quote Anthony: Its OTAs right now. Right now, were getting all geared up. I have to continue to walk around and start the minor process of changing. West Coast Customs is sending over a mobile gym, a trailer with a gymnasium in it. Thats when the workouts will start taking place and we can really start ramping up.

You work out during the offseason and season when youre playing. But people will notice this. There are some deep, dark times you go through when what you loved and what you did was gone. Mine was football. Once footballs gone, you go through some spots and it was something I had to learn to deal with. I was done with working out, there was nobody there to tell me I couldnt do anything. Now, its so sick, but I miss being sore. I miss sweated through t-shirts. Im excited to get it going.

Frank Victores -USA TODAY Sports

I noticed that I feel a thousand times better than I have the last two years, especially now that this has been out.

I am waiting for the gym to get out here and then the reveal. Its not about the weight loss. Thats the thing. Its not about, Jareds gonna lose 200 pounds. Its about finding the weight I can live at healthy and stay there. It could be 450 pounds. Well, if thats where I am where I dont need blood pressure medication, then great. But its whatever it is. Were just going to get to it and find it.

Now Lets Get Fit is a non-profit focused on childhood obesity. Its about fitness and nutrition. Were going to be taking the mobile gym with Gunnar and myself and tour across the country. And well work with schools and speak to the kids about making healthier choices, including after school. That was always the problem for me, Id eat whatever at school and come home and eat cookies.

You could call it a calling, but I just think its whats natural to do. Im a guy who loves to give back anyway. I consider myself a 36-year-old kid, I coach football, so I love being around kids and I think its what people need to do. Someone needs to be out there telling them: This is good, this is bad. Not every parent can be in the household at all times, so they need to make good choices on their own.

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Q&A: Ex-QB Jared Lorenzen breaks down his quest to lose weight ... - For The Win

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Everyone must find his or her own best path to lasting weight losswhich is why scanning through at least 40 different ways to shed pounds can be helpful. For Alice Fields, age 25, from Melbourne, Australia, it took getting off the treadmill and getting into powerlifting, along with following a nutritional plan that didnt focus on restricting foods and pushing salad. Now,Fields wants everyone to know that theres more than one way to lose weight and get in shape.

Ive always struggled with my weight, says the 25-year-old Melbourne, Australia resident. By age 22, I weighed 92 kilos [203 pounds] despite running at least 5 kilometers every single morning, intense circuit training, and restricting what I was eating. Sure, she saw results here and there, but those results never stuck. Shed lose a few kilos, and then put on more. I was killing myself with 5 a.m. sprints, she says, but its just not sustainable, not physically or mentally. You dont just run your body into the ground, you exhaust your mind. All of that changed, however when a friend introduced Fields to power lifting, and she discovered an eating plan called If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM).

Courtesy Alice FieldsThe IIFYM plan looks looks at all foods in the three main (i.e., macro) categories: protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Depending on an individuals activity levels and goals, a numerical goal is set for the individual to consume each day. This is not only ensuring a consistent amount of calories are being consumed daily, but more specifically that youre getting enough macronutrients to maintain energy and reach your desired physique.

Fields says, The best part is, if you want to eat ice cream and watch chick flicks, you can! As long as you read the label and make it work with your macros. Diets arent sustainable, she says. They arent fun, and the foods are flavorless and boring, she told Readers Digest. IIFYM enables you to eat the foods you love, and have a happy mind, while ensuring you are still sticking to a consistent amount of calories.

Fields isnt dissing cardio. In fact, she knows its great for heart health. A lot of articles written about me have made it seem like Im saying STOP DOING CARDIO, Fields told Readers Digest. What Fields has been trying to say is that there isnt just one way to lose weight and get in shape. For her, running for hours on end and restricting herself with a clean diet wasnt the answer. Look for the combination of exercise and proper eating to sustain you, she advises. Just move, and be aware of what food youre putting in your body. How much you move and how you move is entirely up to you.

I went from doing 90 percent cardio to mainly power lifting and cardio for funlike taking my dog on 30-minute walks or just running around with her at the park. And it worked for her. Within a month of changing things up, she noticed a difference in the way her clothes fit and how strong she felt. And although her 37-pound weight loss is great, its not the most important aspect, says Fields. The real gauge of her success is how she felt about herself and how her body was functioning. With more muscle, her body was more efficient at burning fat. She had more energy. She liked the way her clothes fit when her muscles filled out in places, and fat disappeared from other places.

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Lifting weights actually burns a lot of calories, perhaps even more than cardio, say Fields, and its something I thoroughly enjoy so, for me, this is what works, because I can stick to it without it feeling like a chore.

Courtesy Alice FieldsI get so many messages asking if I took prescription pills, Fields says sadly. At the end of the day, there are no magic tricks, pills, or potions. Find something you love and enjoy your journey! People write to Fields and ask them to tell prescribe some exact combination of what to eat and how to move, but her answer is always to just keep moving and eat to support it. Moving is good for your mind, body, and soul, she says, so move. Sweat. Play. Push yourself. But at the end of the day, look at what youre eating.

She wants to make absolutely clear that she does not advocate the idea that being slim or skinny equals being beautiful What she advocates is taking your life into your own hands and doing what makes you feel good. Keep trying, and youll figure out what works. Find a way to burn calories that you enjoy and you can continue to do as part of your life and eat the damn chocolate as long as it fits.

Havent quite figured out what works yet? Here are the signs its time to change up your fitness routine.

Read the rest here:
Lauren Cahn for Reader's Digest - Reader's Digest

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Call it the Oprah Winfrey effect.

Shares of Weight Watchers were climbing more than 15 percent in premarket trading Friday, after the New York-based company reported earnings that topped Wall Street expectations and raised its outlook for the full year.

Ever since Winfrey associated herself with the brand back in 2015, Weight Watchers has been going up and up, following years of declines.

"There's no doubt that the Weight Watchers' long-term collaboration with Oprah Winfrey has certainly accelerated the company's progress since October 2015 with high awareness of her success and happiness with the program sparking interest and excitement," CEO Mindy Grossman said on Thursday's earnings conference call.

"I'm personally looking forward to partnering with her as we transform the brand and business."

The diet program's subscribers climbed 20 percent in the second quarter, helping drive sales 12 percent higher, to $342 million, from a year ago.

Earnings came in at 67 cents per share, adjusted, topping analysts' estimates of 51 cents, according to Thomson Reuters. And Weight Watchers now anticipates earnings per share to fall within $1.57 to $1.67 for the full year, "reflecting continued momentum."

Grossman just began leading the company in July, coming over from an 11-year stint at shopping network HSN. On Thursday, she told analysts and investors that more and more of Weight Watchers' customers are viewing the company as a "lifestyle-oriented, more modern and relevant brand."

Notably, Grossman has experience working with other big-name brands Nike, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.

Now Weight Watchers' biggest cheerleader, Winfrey bought a 10 percent stake in the diet company back in 2015, when the stock was trading around $6 apiece. Shares closed Thursday at $33.08.

As of Thursday's close, shares of Weight Watchers have climbed a whopping 189 percent since the start of the year. The stock is up about 51 percent over the past three months.

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Wall Street rallies behind Oprah Winfrey as Weight Watchers' stock soars after earnings beat - CNBC

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Its one of the paradoxes of the health community: slightly overweight people can be healthier than those with trim bodies. And being skinny can be just as dangerous, or worse, than being fat.

How could that be?

Harvard Medical School estimates that more than300 million people worldwide are obese (defined as having a body mass index [BMI] >/= 30). And this matters because being obese presents a risk to your health and ultimately, an increased likelihood of dying early.

Except its not as simple as that. Take, for example, a study by the Cooper Institute, a nonprofit organization in Dallas, that looked at body composition and fitness levels in 22,000 men, ages 30to83. Over the course of the eight study years, 428 participants died. Whats interesting is that those who were overweight and fit were two times less likely to have died than those who were lean and fit. There was also no significant difference in the overall death rates (the all-cause mortality) between the overweight fit men and the lean fit men.

So perhaps the pursuit of health should be directed away from a singular focus on body composition toward fitness over fatness.

Mortality is a U-shaped curve

What came out of reports a few years ago was something called theobesity paradoxor sometimes reverse epidemiology. What the data show are that those who are either at the low side of the weight curve or the very high side are at increased risk of death. Those who are slightly overweight have a 6percentlower risk of death than their normal weight peers. These factors were shown to be particularly important incertain groups of people, such as very elderly individuals or those with certain chronic diseases. It further postulates that normal to low body mass index or normal values of cholesterol may be detrimental and associated with higher mortality in asymptomatic people.

A 2004 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found similar results to the Cooper Institute data, determining that fitness, rather than body weight alone, was the stronger predictor of health. An earlier study of 2014 men followed over a 16-year period found that physical fitness appears to be a predictor of mortality from cardiovascular disease in healthy men and a high level of fitness was also associated with lower mortality from any cause. These results are further corroborated by another study that tested the prognostic capacity of exercise capacity by following 6,213 men who were referred for exercise testing, concluded that exercise capacity wasthe most powerful predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), even among other risk factors for CVD.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine conducted by Harvard researchers looking at a longitudinal study of nurses that included data on both weight and activity level also found that activity level attenuated some of the effects of being overweight. But those data also suggested that the nurses who were overweight or obese tended to have a higher mortality rate; however, this particular study wasnt designed to capture robust fitness measures or body composition, simply self-reports from the study participants of activity level and their weight.

Research published in Progress in Cardiovascular Disease reported:

Overweight and obese-fit individuals had similar mortality risks as normal weight-fit individuals. Furthermore, the obesity paradox may not influence fit individuals. Researchers, clinicians, and public health officials should focus on physical activity and fitness-based interventions rather than weight-loss driven approaches to reduce mortality risk.

BMI has tended to be a rather poor measure of health or relative fitness, based on its agnosticism of muscle content and other physiological indices. While it can serve as a quick heuristic as a short-hand measure for the average of a population, it has almost no measurement precision for individual cases where it matters most. Its more like weighing your vehicle to estimate that it has enough fuel to cover a set distance there are so many other factors that could impact the result (e.g., other additional passengers, insufficient coolant level, low tire pressure). The issue is that incorporating BMI, and not more accurate body composition analyses, into research studies on weight, fitness, and longevity adds to the error rate of the results due to the imprecision of the BMI formula at measuring physiological indices.

Weight loss itself appears to not offer the same effects as improving fitness

Another study found that those who are overweight or obese in middle age have a higher risk of hospitalization and mortality from coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes compared to those who are normal weight. Keep in mind that this study did not consider activity level, so weight is considered in isolation without the moderating variable of fitness.

Additionally, the NEJM reported on a long-term analysis of the effects of weight loss on cardiovascular disease in those with type 2 diabetes. They concluded, An intensive lifestyle intervention focusing on weight loss did not reduce the rate of cardiovascular events in overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes.

Instead of a pure focus on weight, an approach that includesand favorsfitness provides the greatest opportunity to increase survival.

Ben Locwin is a behavioral neuroscientist and astrophysicist with a masters in business, and a researcher on the genetics of human disease. BIO. Follow him on Twitter @BenLocwin.

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The obesity paradox: Why being fit may be more important than losing weight - Genetic Literacy Project

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