Flab can take 'three years off your life'

In what is claimed to be one of the clearest indications yet of the mortal dangers of obesity, a new study says that just four stones of flab can take three years off one's life.

In what is claimed to be one of the clearest indications yet of the mortal dangers of obesity, a new study says that just four stones of flab can take three years off one's life.

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And, what’s more shocking is that the study has shown that those who are extremely overweight could lose nearly ten years of their life.

Lead researcher Gary Whitlock was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: “Excess weight shortens human lifespan. In countries like Britain and America, weighing a third more than the optimum shortens lifespan by about three years.

“For most people, a third more than the optimum means carrying 20 to 30 kilogrammes -- 50 to 60 pounds, or 4 stones -- of excess weight. If you are becoming overweight or obese, avoiding further weight gain could add years to your life.”

The researchers at Oxford University have based their findings on an analysis of almost a million adults -- in fact, they assessed the impact of obesity by studying data from 57 separate studies in Europe and North America.