[BendtheBar]

Hard question to answer. People slightly higher on the BMI scale than what is considered normal tend to live longer.

Study: Overweight People Live Longer

Based on BMI scores, a 5-foot, 5-inch adult would be considered:

Underweight at 110 pounds or less (BMI <18.5)
Normal weight at 111 to 149 pounds (BMI = 18.5-24.9)
Overweight at 150 to 179 pounds (BMI = 25-29.9)
Obese at 180 to 210 pounds (BMI = 30-34.9)
Extremely obese at 211 pounds or more (BMI = 35 or greater)

In the newly published study, researchers used data from an ongoing Canadian national health survey to follow more than 11,000 adults from the mid-1990s to 2007.

Compared to people who fell into the normal-weight category:

Those classified as underweight were 73% more likely to die.
Those classified as extremely obese with BMI of 35 or greater were 36% more likely to die.
Those classified as obese with BMI 30-34.9 had about the same risk of death.
Those classified as overweight with BMI 25-29.9 were 17% less likely to die.

The study appears online this week in the journal Obesity.