Obesity and Longevity

To the Editor: Preston's editorial (March 17 issue) 1 on obesity and its influence on longevity, which accompanies the report by Olshansky et al., 2 focused my thinking on morbidity versus mortality. Preston wrote that “the current life expectancy at birth in the United States would be one third to three quarters of a year higher if all overweight adults were to attain their ideal weight.” This goal is unlikely to be achieved, and even if it were, the gain in life expectancy would be minuscule. As a clinician, however, I see daily the terrible morbidity that obese patients have — complications . . .