Fat is fit.
A new study of thousands of chubby Americans has found that they live just as long as slim folks — and are less likely to die of heart problems.
In fact, the study, published yesterday in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, found that if you eat well and exercise, you can remain heavy — and healthy.
Researchers at York University in Toronto examined 6,000 obese Americans over 16 years.
Those with no other health problems had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular causes than 23,000 slim Americans.
“Our findings challenge the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Jennifer Kuk.
“Moreover, 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 that includes physical activity and a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.”