Being very fat is unhealthy

Not surprisingly, it is. If one uses BMI (Body Mass Index, see I AM NOT FAT, JUST BIG-BONED) to assess your degree of fatness, then according to an approach taken by Dr John S. Garrow of London, the risk to health is as follows:

DESCRIPTION BMI GRADE OF OBESITY FEATURES
Underweight

Healthy weight

Overweight

Obese

Morbidly obese

 less than 20

20 to 25

26 to 30

31 to 40

greater than 40

 -

0

1

2

3

 Risk to health

Healthy

Moderate risk to health

Significant risk to health

Incompatible with normal daily activities



The risks of premature death from coronary heart disease, stroke, certain cancers like breast and prostate gland cancer, biliary disease, diabetes, accidents and complications of surgery are increased in people who are very fat. Being very fat may affect self image, social acceptability, employability, ability to commute or travel and the ability to be nursed when ill, all of which would in turn have a further effect on health.

Beyond the age of 50, being obese may be less of a risk for premature death, than below the age of 50, but risk of complications from disorders such as diabetes remains. Where there is non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in the family, up to one out of two first-degree relatives (children and siblings) are very likely to develop the disease. Therefore people from such families should be especially careful not to become obese.