Skinny can be bad for you
Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels, so the saying goes.
But it's not true, scientists say. Being skinny can actually feel pretty miserable, as it sets you up for health-related disaster. Recently, a 12-year study found that its underweight Canadian subjects had an increased risk of mortality and were 1.73 times more likely to die during the course of the study's followup than their normal-weight peers.
Underweight individuals — those sporting BMIs below 18.5 — are at increased risk of miscarriage, arthritis, heart disease, lung disease, male and female infertility, and even car accident-related deaths.
Last week, scientists revealed they found a “lean gene” which increases the risk of skinny men developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease thanks to fat being deposited in places dangerous to organ function, like around the liver and heart.
[Related: Balance fitness and family life]
Some of the skinny-related health risks, as compiled by The Daily Mail, are listed below. Read more here:
Bone Issues
Typically, the thinner the woman, the thinner her bones are. Oestrogen production is fuelled by fat. With lower oestrogen levels, skinny women are at risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis, brittle-bone diseases that increase risks of fractures (and death in older individuals).
Weight-bearing exercise is essential to bone strength. Gaining a few pounds can help skinny women reduce fracture risk by having more weight for her bones to carry.
Miscarriage and Infertility
Low oestrogen levels can contribute to a myriad of problems, including conception difficulties, especially when the body stops menstruating as a response to low body fat or caloric intake.
Morning sickness is also more severe among underweight women. In extreme cases, unrelenting vomiting can put expecting mothers at risk of malnutrition and dehydration, subsequently putting their unborn baby in danger.
Skinny men can also have family planning problems. Underweight men have sperm counts a third lower than their healthy weight peers, most likely due to low oestrogen levels. Men need both oestrogen and testerone for sperm production.
Depression
It’s still not confirmed why, but skinny men have a higher suicide rate than those who are overweight. It’s possible that thin people produce less serotonin – the brain’s feel-good chemical – or that their size affects their self-worth. Some scientists speculate the suicide attempts of the thin are more successful as their small frames require smaller amounts when overdosing.
Depression or anxiety symptoms can also be signs of eating disorders.
Car Crashes
Weight doesn’t dictate the likelihood of getting into a car crash, but it does dictate survival rates. With little padding, skinny accident victims — specifically fragile men — are more likely to die than those with built-in cushioning. Curvy women are the most likely to survive a crash.
Conclusion thus far: Thin may be in, but watching your weight should extend to ensuring you’re healthy, not just tiny for tiny’s sake.
(Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Able Images)
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