I'd just like to step in and point out here that the actual study was saying that people who were currently classified as "overweight" or at the first stage of obesity showed no specifically higher mortality rates. The study in no way suggested that the morbidly obese were any healthier than any of the rest of us.

The BMI is a flawed measurement system. DH is 6'1" and has been told that according to his BMI scale, he shouldn't weigh more than 165lbs. He has broad athletic shoulders and very narrow hips. I can't imagine what an emaciated specimen he'd be if his weight actually dropped below 190.

FWIW, he does a boot camp workout 4X a week as well as a cycling class once a week with weightlifting on the off days.

The idea that a few extra lbs doesn't hurt is supported by evidence in our own bodies. What we see sa our "perfect" weight quite often is an unrealistic body image. When returning to healthy eating levels after a period of serious dieting, most people regain some of the weight they lost. Part of that can be blamed on a return to unhealthy eating habits, but some of it can also be that your body has a natural set point that it tries to maintain. The pounds in between fall into what zoning often refers to as "vanity pounds".

LWW