Doctors have warned for years that obesity can have unhealthy consequences, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. All of that can contribute to an early death.
Now, a study published in theLancet shows being overweight—not just obese—is associated with a higher risk of dying early of any cause. “The results highlight that even slight increase in BMI can cause harm,” says Dr. Emanuele Di Angelantonio, a lecturer at the University of Cambridge and lead author of the study. “There is a progression of increased risk beginning with being overweight and continuing through all levels of obesity.”
