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Want a long and healthy life? New research shows that focusing on this one behavior, may help a lot more than losing weight.

By Catherine Pearson | 10/13/2021 8:58 am EDT | Updated October 14, 2021 | Huffpost.com | Fit and Fat

Health experts have increasingly embraced the idea that people can absolutely be “fit and fat” — and that the body mass index is deeply flawed and does not provide a very good picture of a person’s health.

A recent scientific review strengthens these points. The research, published in the journal iScience, showed that overall wellness and longevity cannot be predicted by a number on a scale, and that exercise is more important than weight loss when it comes to heart health and living a long life.

“We would like people to know that fat can be fit, and that fit and healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes,” study researcher Glenn Gaesser, of the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University, said in a statement.

How focusing too much on weight loss misses the point

The team behind the new review aimed their research at a glaring problem: Obesity has grown significantly in the United States and the world over the past several decades, as have the number of people dying from conditions like heart disease that are often closely linked with diet and exercise.

At the same time, the prevalence of people trying to lose weight has also increased. Since the 1980s, at least 40% of women in this country and 25% of men have been dieting to shed pounds. Whatever we’re collectively doing right now isn’t working, and it’s not necessarily making people healthier.

“The intense focus on weight loss has not prevented excessive weight gain in recent decades,” the new review states. “Moreover, repeated weight loss efforts may contribute to weight gain, and is undoubtedly associated with the high prevalence of weight cycling, which is associated with significant health risks.”

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