Not only obesity but being underweight is also a big threat for your health.
According to the Canadian researchers, people who are underweight have the highest risk of dying than those who are underweight.
While the risk of dying for obese people is 1.2 times, the risk of dying for those who are underweight is almost 1.8 times, the researchers said.
Dr Joel Ray of St Michael’s Hospital and his team analysed as many as 51 studies related to Body Mass Index (BMI) and deaths from any cause. Moreover, the data on newborn weight and stillbirths in Ontario were also included for the study.
During the study, the researchers found that the underweight adults with a BMI under 18.5 or less have a 1.8 times higher risk of dying than those who have a normal BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. However, for those who were obese with BMI of 30-34.9 have 1.2 times higher risk of dying. And those who were severely obese with a BMI of 35 or higher have 1.3 times higher death risk.
Health experts contribute malnourishment, heavy alcohol or drug use, smoking, low-income status, mental health or poor self-care as the common causes for being underweight. BMI reflects not only body fat but also muscle mass.
“If we want to continue to use BMI in health care and public health initiatives, we must realize that a robust and healthy individual is someone who has a reasonable amount of body fat and also sufficient bone and muscle,” Dr Ray said.
The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health.
