Being overweight does not increase death risk from cancer or heart disease

A new American federal report found that overweight increase the risks of dying from diabetes and kidney disease but not cancer or heart disease. The findings are based on decades of cause-of-death data collected by federal scientists. They also found a protective effect against all other causes of death.

Some dismissed the findings as fundamentally flawed while others saw that the dangers of being fat have been exaggerated. The author said the findings does not mean being overweight is good, but is associated with less mortality than expected.

Source : "Cause-Specific Excess Deaths Associated With Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity" JAMA. 2007;298(17):2028-2037