Obesity and Weight Gain

Obesity is a complex condition that defies simplistic categorization as solely a risk factor for disease. Georgi Dinkov notes that the link between obesity and cancer is weak, and that people with a BMI of 27 or lower are actually at a higher risk of dying from cancer 1. Despite the increasing prevalence of dieting and exercise, obesity is skyrocketing, with more Americans attempting to lose weight but few finding success 2.

Ray Peat suggests that milk consumption can actually aid in weight loss, as it inhibits the fat-producing enzyme system and stimulates calorie-burning uncoupling protein 3. Georgi Dinkov also notes that weight gain can be a positive sign, as long as it doesn't result in central adiposity, and that sumo wrestlers, who are extremely obese by Western standards, are not necessarily unhealthy 4.

However, Danny Roddy notes that obesity is often associated with a low respiratory quotient, which is reflective of a person's dependence on fatty acid metabolism and production of less carbon dioxide 6. Ray Peat also notes that an increased intake of calcium is the single most important nutritional thing for losing weight, and that low-fat milk and cheese should be the main foods 7.

Georgi Dinkov also notes that the concept of "metabolically healthy obesity" (MHO) is a real phenomenon, where obese individuals with normal blood pressure levels, a relatively low waist-to-hip ratio, and no existing type 2 diabetes are not at an increased risk of heart disease or death 8. This challenges the conventional view of obesity as solely a risk factor for disease.

The Obesity Paradox, as noted by Georgi Dinkov, suggests that people with a higher body fat percentage may actually have a lower all-cause mortality rate than those with a lower body fat percentage 5. This paradox highlights the complexity of obesity and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between body weight and health.