[VioletDolphin83]

There is a study online that says 'those who were overweight who lost weight on purpose were about 86 percent more likely to die for any reason over the next 18 years.' I would post the link but I don't know if I'm allowed to here. Apparently the risk of dying increases with the amount of weight lost. And the people studied didn't have any health problems. This study and others like it make me worry about losing weight.
I thought everyone here may have a better understanding of it, whether it is true or not. Do you know anyone that has lived for decades after a significant weight loss? Have you heard of studies like these?

I looked for topics/threads about this and couldn't find any.

[JayEll]

One study does not mean truth has been determined. Evidently the study has had a lot of criticism. Here's the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...062701481.html

The article doesn't seem to give many details, such as how much the overweight individuals weighed, and how much they lost. They do not even define "overweight." I wouldn't conclude anything based on this study.

[RedPanda]

Even the article criticising the study is suspect.

"There is such a cultural assumption that weight loss is necessary that we ignore the evidence," said Linda Bacon of the University of California at Davis."

Um, Linda Bacon is the author of Health at Every Size and a keen proponent of HAES. Identifying her as only "of the University of California at Davis" is disingenuous, at best.

Then there's this bit:

"Still, some evidence have [sic] suggested that intentional weight loss may be unhealthy for otherwise healthy people, perhaps, for example, because losing muscle could have detrimental effects on vital organs."

Um, what about dieters such as myself and nearly everyone else at 3FC who is working to build muscle?

I call BS!

[Kery]

I don't know if it's true. What kind of people are we talking about, anyway? I mean, if that study takes into acount all the people who went through stupid deprivation fad diets (thus leading to internal long-term damage), or anorexia (long-term damage, too, plus, for some, committing suicide due to not finding a way out of the ED), it can make quite a difference!

[JohnKY]

I wouldn't give it much credence. As compared to who? An obese control? That seems unlikely.