Who lives longer, skinny or fat?

Asked by: Reinhold Gislason III  |  Last update: October 12, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (55 votes)

A little extra weight may protect people from early death —Underweight people and those who are extremely obese die earlier than people of normal weight—but those who are overweight actually live longer than people of normal weight.

Do fat or thin people live longer?

Researchers found that, from the age of 40, people at the higher end of the healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) range had the lowest risk of dying from disease. But people at the top and bottom ends of the BMI risked having shorter lives. BMI is calculated by dividing an adult's weight by the square of their height.

What body type lives the longest?

Pear Shape

It's more common among women, and it may be part of the reason they often live longer than men. That could be because belly fat, more common in men, is linked to more health problems than lower-body fat. One study found that in some cases fat in the hips and thighs was linked to lower odds for some diseases.

Who will survive longer, fat or skinny?

Using the model, we found that fatter individuals would indeed survive longer and, at a given body weight, females would survive longer than males, when totally starved.

What weight is best for longevity?

According to the World Health Organization and many medical societies, BMI should be maintained in the 18.5–24.9 kg m2 range to achieve optimum health. However, a recent meta-analysis has suggested that being overweight, and possibly even mildly obese, is associated with a reduced mortality risk (Flegal et al., 2013).

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18 related questions found

Does weight affect life expectancy?

From the increased risk of chronic diseases to the burden on vital organ systems, obesity can significantly shorten life expectancy and reduce quality of life.

What is the perfect weight according to age?

The weight of a 19-29 years old boy should be 83.4 kg, while the weight of a girl should be up to 73.4 kg. Weight of a boy between 30-39 years should be up to 90.3 kg, while the weight of a girl should be up to 76.7 kg. Weight of a 40-49 years old boy should be 90.9 kg, while a girl should weigh 76.2 kg.

Do fat people take longer to starve?

In less extreme cases, however, where you are still receiving some calories - particularly if these calories include a high proportion of protein - being fat will help you survive much longer, because your body will be able to meet the majority of your calorie requirements from stored fat.

Which is healthier, being fat or skinny?

The Bottom Line. Both obesity and being out of shape increases your chances for a number of diseases and early death. However, the person who is lean but doesn't exercise regularly may not be in such good health after all. Being active and fit is good for you regardless of your body size.

Do muscular people live longer than skinny people?

Even if there are no causal links between muscle mass and longevity, this study definitively demonstrates that muscle mass relative to body height has independent predictive ability for all-cause mortality in older adults. This is the first study to establish this in a large, nationally representative cohort.

Which height lives longer?

Researchers also discovered that "shorter, smaller bodies have lower death rates and fewer diet-related chronic diseases, especially past middle age." The lifespans of shorter people appear to be longer than their taller counterparts, the paper says.

What is the rarest body type?

Hourglass is the rarest body type, with only estimated 8% of women having this figure. Here's the thing: hourglass bodies are versatile. The stereotypical hourglass is too narrow of a depiction that often fails to capture the true beauty and diversity of this shape.

Which parts of the body last a lifetime?

Cells of the eye lens, nerve cells, nerve cells of the cerebral cortex and most muscle cells last a lifetime but once dead are not replaced.

What shortens life expectancy?

Smoking turns out to be the singlemost factor in reducing life expectancy. On average, men lose nine years and women seven years of life to cigarette smoking.

Do skinnier people age slower?

Long-term calorie restriction may slow the pace of biological aging in healthy adults, according to an NIA-funded study. Specifically, cutting caloric intake by 12% for two years in lean or slightly overweight adults slowed the pace of aging by 2-3%.

Do skinny people get diabetes?

Obesity is one risk factor for diabetes, but some thin people can also develop the disease.

Do thin people get sick more?

If a person does not get enough energy from their diet to maintain a healthy body weight, they may also not be getting enough nutrients to fight off infections. As a result, a person may get sick more frequently, and common illnesses, such as a cold, can last longer than they usually would.

Are fat people more likely to survive a gunshot?

In the gunshot wound group there was no significant difference between non-obese and obese patients for age (p=0.400), gender (p=0.900), ISS (p=0.544), LOS (p=0.273), Intensive Care Unit LOS (p=0.729), units of blood given (p=0.300), or mortality (p=0.855).

Is being fat a sin?

Being overweight may be a health concern, but it has nothing to do with your moral standing before God, especially since weight is not necessarily always linked solely to eating habits.

Do thin people live longer?

A little extra weight may protect people from early death

Underweight people and those who are extremely obese die earlier than people of normal weight—but those who are overweight actually live longer than people of normal weight.

Where does fat go when you starve?

Fats are broken down into glycerol and free fatty acids, with the glycerol being turned into glucose in the liver via the gluconeogenesis pathway.

Would a fat person survive longer in the cold?

Humans with obesity cool less rapidly and have to elevate their metabolism less significantly than lean individuals when immersed in water. Although obesity provides an advantage in cold conditions it conversely impedes heat loss and makes obese people susceptible to heat stress more than lean individuals.

What age are you heaviest?

They found that, during their 20s and 30s, more than half of participants gained at least 5% of their body weight while over a third gained 10%. On average, adults gained 17.6 pounds during their 20s and 30s and 14.3 pounds during their 30s and 40s.

What is the perfect height for a man?

Good height for man is considered 5 feet 8 inches, which is subjective to personal preference, context and cultural variation. Average height for boys in India is measured on the basis of WHO growth charts. The height of a child grows according to age.

How to lose weight permanently?

Methods of weight loss that scientific research supports include the following:
  1. Trying intermittent fasting. ...
  2. Tracking your diet and exercise. ...
  3. Eating mindfully. ...
  4. Eating protein with meals. ...
  5. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates. ...
  6. Eating plenty of fiber. ...
  7. Balancing gut bacteria. ...
  8. Getting a good night's sleep.