You know that excess weight can be harmful to your health. You know that obesity — when you have a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than 30 — affects more than one-third of American adults. And you know that it's related to a range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis and some cancers.
What you might not know is this: In certain medical situations, carrying around a few extra pounds might protect a patient. It's called the obesity paradox, and it flies against most of what we know about the relationship between health and weight.
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