Yes, the idea that thin people are less susceptible to disease than fat people persists. Overweight people are generally suspected of suffering from high blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.

Is this really true?

To find out for sure, US researchers have now taken a closer look at this cliché. And they made a surprising discovery: overweight people are not necessarily sicker. Quite a few are even in the best of health, for example if they exercise often. At the same time, there are slim people with cardiovascular diseases.

The body mass index

What is true, however: Chubby people are more likely to have joint problems. Until now, the body mass index has been the main factor in determining when obesity begins. The so-called BMI is calculated by dividing body weight by height.

Example: 80 kilos divided by 1.68 meters times 1.68 meters. This results in a BMI of 28, which is above the recommendation of the World Health Organization. The optimal range is 18.5 to 25.

The distribution of body fat

What this formula does not take into account, however, is the distribution of body fat. This is precisely what is important, as too much belly fat in particular makes you ill. Among other things, it promotes inflammation, which damages the blood vessels. Women should therefore have an abdominal circumference of less than 88 centimetres and men less than 102 centimetres. And this can be determined without complicated calculations using a measuring tape.