From Your Health Journal…..”A great article today from the Car Connection via AOL by Richard Read. We read so much about the effects of obesity on someone’s health. The CDC states the following health risks:
– Coronary heart disease
– Type 2 diabetes
– Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
– Hypertension (high blood pressure)
– Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
– Stroke
– Liver and Gallbladder disease
– Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
– Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
– Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
Now, today’s article points to the fact that obese drivers in a specific age population and gender had 80% greater likelihood of dying in an accident compared to drivers who were classed as “normal weight”. This comes after the recent news that overweight people may live longer than their normal-weight friends (which we discussed here in detail over the last couple weeks). In any case, please take the time to read this well written article (link provided below) to learn more.”
From the article…..
A recent study led by Dr. Katherine M. Flegal at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made headlines by suggesting that overweight people may live longer than their normal-weight friends. Which made those of us who’ve been trying to lose 10 or 20 pounds put down our crullers and jump for joy. Which we then realized was a form of exercise, so we stopped.
But Flegal’s study was careful to point out that “overweight” and “obese” are not the same thing. “Normal-weight” people have body-mass indices of 18.5 to 24.9, while “overweight” includes BMIs of 25 to 29.9. Obesity begins at a BMI of 30. Flegal’s study showed that mortality rates didn’t become markedly higher until individuals hit a BMI of 35.
Now, a new study led by Dr. Thomas M. Rice at the University of California, Berkeley suggests something very similar — except Rice’s study is focused on drivers.
Rice and his colleagues studied 6,806 motorists in the U.S. who had been involved in 3,403 collisions. Of those studied, 46% were of “normal weight”, 33% were “overweight”, and 18% were “obese”. Here are the major takeaways:
* Among those who had a BMW of at least 40, there was an 80% greater likelihood of dying in an accident compared to drivers who were classed as “normal weight”.
To read the full article….Click here