Obesity Paradox
The observation that overweight or mildly obese patients with certain chronic diseases may have better survival.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
The obesity paradox is a surprising finding from medical research: in some groups of patients — particularly older adults and those with certain chronic diseases like heart failure — being overweight or mildly obese appears to be linked with better survival rates than being normal weight. This does NOT mean obesity is healthy; rather, it highlights how complex the relationship between weight and health truly is.
Medical
Clinical Definition
The obesity paradox refers to the epidemiological observation that, in certain patient populations with established chronic diseases (including heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), individuals classified as overweight or Class I obesity (BMI 25-34.9 kg/m2) demonstrate lower all-cause mortality compared to normal-weight counterparts. Proposed explanations include metabolic reserve providing protection during catabolic illness, limitations of BMI as an adiposity measure, confounding by smoking and disease-related weight loss, and selection bias in observational cohorts.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
The obesity paradox underscores the importance of looking beyond BMI alone when assessing health. At Accord Medical, Dr Joseph Wang approaches every patient holistically — using body composition analysis, metabolic markers, and individual health history to determine the safest and most effective weight management goals, rather than applying one-size-fits-all targets.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
