Body-Mass Index and Mortality among 1.46 Million White Adults

Pooled data from 19 prospective studies showed that after adjustments for age, physical activity, alcohol consumption, education, and marital status, both overweight and obesity were associated with increased mortality, which was lowest with a BMI between 20 and 25. Two thirds of the adult population in the United States and at least half the populations of many other developed countries are currently overweight or obese. 1 , 2 Although it is well established that obese people — defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) of 30.0 or more — have increased death rates from heart disease, stroke, and many specific cancers, 3 the strength of the relationship between a high BMI and all-cause mortality remains uncertain, as does the optimal BMI with respect to mortality. Some studies suggest that . . .