"I'm overweight!" I postulated without compunction after leaning forward to catch the LCD display on the doctor's weighing scale.
"No. I don't think you're overweight. 56 kg is alright. You've maintained your weight well," said the good doctor as he scribbled the reading into my card.
"I should be between 40 - 50 kgs for my height. Most of my friends were in the 40 range."
"That's conventional wisdom. Your friends have not heard of the Obesity Paradox then?"
"Obesity Paradox?"
"Obesity paradox is a term for a medical hypothesis which holds that obesity may, counterintuitively, be protective and associated with greater survival in certain groups of people, such as very elderly individuals or those with certain chronic diseases."
He went on to reiterate that patients who were too lean had less reserve to survive a major operation compared to patients who were obese. In the case of obesity, the danger presents itself in a weak heart, high blood pressure and high cholesterol which can typically be corrected with the appropriate medication. However the obese generally have higher immunity compared to the lean. According to recent research, cancer is more likely to attack a thin person compared to a fat one. If the person's immunity is low, and the stress factor hits, a weak point presents itself for the cancer cells to invade.
A lot of medical jargons were thrown in for good measure but the crux of the matter is that I'm fine where I am, at 56 kilogram.
A lot of medical jargons were thrown in for good measure but the crux of the matter is that I'm fine where I am, at 56 kilogram.
