‘Healthy’ but overweight?

[bumbleymummy]

Ok, I know this is a sensitive subject and I’m really not trying to upset or offend anyone. I just think it’s misleading when people say things like ‘ICU is filled with healthy under 60s’ or talk about a ‘healthy 40- something’ passing away and it turns out that person/a high proportion of those patients are very overweight. Are people who are clearly overweight actually ‘healthy’? I know it’s not the same as an underlying condition like diabetes or heart disease but we know that a high bmi puts people at greater risk of complications from coronavirus.

Before someone jumps on me, I’m not saying that someone’s life is of less value because they are overweight or have an underlying health condition. I’m just wondering if it’s accurate to say that they are ‘healthy’ when we are reporting figures and talking about risk.

I suppose the media say ‘healthy’ as it’s more shocking and worrying. The guidance is anyone over a bmi of 40 is more at risk. I say this as someone who is obese so I completely understand what you mean, it’s not meant to upset anyone.

If you are overweight, especially if you are obese, you are not healthy. It puts strain on every aspect of your body.

I would consider heathy to be slim, active, eating well balanced meals. I don’t believe someone can be overweight and healthy because all the risk factors are higher due to weight. I also wouldn’t consider an slim person with an inactive lifestyle and fast food diet to be healthy either

I tend to agree OP and I say that as someone who is very overweight (although no longer obese woohoo!)

I'm very fat (BMI around 44) and a consultant wrote on my notes "fit and healthy" when I was in hospital for an appointment after he went through all the standard stuff about blood pressure etc. Although the issue I was there for was absolutely nothing to do with my weight I was completely shocked he wrote that, I don't have any other diagnosis but I'm morbidly obese and it's definitely not healthy! As far as I'm aware he had normal eyesight and I was about 3 feet about from him and it's completely obvious I'm huge.

According to the British Medical Journal

"Public Health England estimated that having a BMI of 35 to 40 could increase a person’s chances of dying from covid-19 by 40%, while a BMI greater than 40 could increase the risk by 90%"

Link here

So 'healthy' or not it's a very significant risk.

even now with all the data in, governments are not willing to tackle food choice within the population, or alcoholism or smoking..
but given they can't even get the message that masks are needed i can't blame them.

I think it is because, as you have mentioned, being overweight/obese in itself is not classed as a specific underlying health condition/illness, so they probably feel it's legitimate to say "healthy". If they were overweight and had also been diagnosed with specific health problems because of it then they probably couldn't get away with saying healthy.

Weight loss is one of the only contributing factors (in the risk of complicated covid) you can do something about. It's a factor within our control.
BMI is a rough guide but it's not far off. It's quite shocking what a normal weight should be. I think the vast majority of people genuinely have no idea how overweight they are,

I think the vast majority of people genuinely have no idea how overweight they are

This is absolutely true.

Well when I had a BMI in the high 30s I had an over 40s health check to work out heart risk. I came up very low. Further to this I lost weight down to a BMI in the low thirties. Although not overly accurate I has an body analysis done and I came out normal. I also completed a 50KM hilly walk.
Sadly the weight has crept back on abd I am Nursing an injury but I can't wait to get back out there
The increased chance of deaths scary of course.

Can you imagine the uproar if a ‘healthy 40- something’ passing away were reported as “a fat 40-something...”. I can see why the media don’t want to go there.

I'm in the obese category but reasonably healthy and active. Blood cholesterol was tested recently and came back as optimal, as was my HB1ac test.
I put on loads of weight when I stopped smoking, I used to smoke at least 20 a day. My old GP told me it was healthier to be a fat nonsmoker than a slim smoker.

In tears at the panorama program telling the stories of those who died but I couldn’t not notice that every younger person who died was visibly significantly overweight 🙁

I agree with you. I'm overweight, not by much though. I consider myself healthy in general but if I lost weight I would be healthier.

I don't think it's up to the government to tackle either. In most cases, being overweight is the fault of the individual (I know there are exceptions). I'm overweight because I eat too much crap, no one else to blame for that but myself.

Agree OP.

It's come into my mind every time I read a story about a healthy younger person dying because, like PP, I couldn't help but notice they were significantly overweight.

I'm carrying a bit of extra timber too, although very fit and currently trying to address the weight thing.

"Healthy" = not being treated for anything.
Most people with obesity (even morbid obesity) are not being treated for it.

If you think about it, some of the people in critical care with covid will have hypertension or undiagnosed cancers, etc. But if not being treated, then there are no "underlying conditions" or "prior health conditions" on record for them.

I agree too. A friend of a friend died this week of covid. He was only 37,but extremely overweight. It obviously doesn't make it any less tragic but we know it is a big risk factor

The media often says no underlying health issues for someone who looks clinically obese. Yes, I would say that person does have health issues and the media is scaremongering.

There’s a story in the papers today about four members of the same family all dying of covid. Common factor was they were all overweight. Another sad story yesterday of a relatively young man who was, you’ve guessed it, very overweight! It’s not a coincidence.

Anyone trying to lose weight btw please focus first on carbs and sugar and NOT fat. Low carb is the most effective way to get the pounds off and keep them off. I’m usually Keto but due to my current home schooling life I’m low carb instead and I’m keeping my weight nice and stable with minimum effort.

Totally agree OP - and you’ve written it very well!
My BMI is still 34 despite having lost 3 stone in the last year. This pandemic has been the thing that has finally spurred me on to lose the weight. Will keep going until I get to a healthy weight!

I agree with you OP. So many people are overweight now that its 'normal'.

My BMI is 27, low resting HR and low BP, so I doubt there is much strain on my organs (not my heart anyway) and I do yoga every day and have zero aches and pains. But am still trying to get down to a normal BMI. Pandemic has spurred me on too.