So much to do, so little time.

Dear Reader,
I can't believe it's been a whole month since I wrote. The Equinox has passed and the days are getting longer. I have 3 baby chicks in the tool shed and check the temperature several times a day to keep them warm until they are a little bigger and can survive our cool days and nights. The two hens I have are producing one egg for me every day. The pink blossoms are filling out on the ornamental cherries and the pear and plum blossoms are slowly opening up. Let's hope the bees find them in a timely fashion.

All this spring time activity makes me ponder how all the people who decided to lose weight this past winter are doing. I know the gal at the bank is sticking to it and I can see it in her face as she drops to her goal--39 pounds down already. Dr. Chaney has just sent out a review of the findings from the big Nurses' study on health begun back in the 70's about their weight and their quality of life. I thought you'd be interested. It could give you a little boost if you were one of those who wanted to get back to your high school weight.

Dr. Chaney says:


Most of you probably already know that obesity can cut your life short.

But some people seem to take the attitude that life is short and uncertain anyway.

I've heard people say "Why should I bother to make lifestyle changes that could add a few years to my life when I could be run over by a car tomorrow?"

The answer is simple! It's not just how long you live, it's how well you live.

It's all about living a long AND healthy life!

A recent study by scientists at Harvard and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston (Sun et al, British Medical Journal, 330: b3796, 2009) addressed this issue very clearly.

They followed 17,065 women who had enrolled in the Nurses Health Study in 1976 and had subsequently reached age of 70 and asked how obesity affected their health at age 70.

They were not just looking at survival. They were looking at healthy survival.

They defined healthy survivors as those women who were free of chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, for example) and had no cognitive, physical or mental limitations.

The results were clear cut.

Every one unit increase in Body Mass Index (weight in kg/(height in meters)squared) was associated with a 12% decreased probability of healthy survival to age 70.

Women who were at ideal weight at age 18, but had gained 22 pounds or more by middle age, were 59% less likely to enjoy good health at age 70 than the women who had maintained ideal weight through middle age.

The effect of body weight on healthy survival was even more dramatic for those women who were already overweight at age 18 and gained 22 pounds or more by middle age. Their probability of enjoying good health at age 70 was 79% less than women who had maintained ideal weight through middle age.

And just in case there are guys reading this Health Tip who think this doesn't apply to you, there is a study showing that healthy survival in men is also dramatically decreased by obesity (JAMA, 296:
2343-2350, 2006).

So while lifestyle changes are never easy, they are definitely worth the effort. It really is not just about how long you live, it's about how well you live.

I wish you a long AND healthy life!


To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

And so do I! Be well, Betsy