Study: Fat and fit people live as long as slim people

PEOPLE who are fat and fit live just as long as their slim counterparts and are less likely to die from heart disease, a study finds.

Researchers looked at 6,000 obese Americans over a 16-year period and compared their death rates with those of lean individuals.

Study leader Dr Jennifer Kuk, from York University in Toronto said: “Our findings challenge the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight... It’s possible that trying — and failing — to lose weight may be more detrimental than simply staying at an elevated body weight and engaging in a healthy lifestyle.”