What body types live the longest?

People who maintain a healthy weight, especially those who start normal and become slightly overweight (but not obese) later, or those who stay lean, often live longer, while consistently obese individuals have higher mortality, though some "obesity paradox" studies suggest a slight overweight (BMI 25-30) can offer a survival buffer against illness compared to being underweight or normal weight throughout life, with shorter stature generally linked to longer lifespans across populations.

Which body type lives the longest?

Although taller and slimmer individuals can live longer than shorter and overweight people, greater body weight and BMI are related to increased mortality and morbidity.

Who lives longer, skinny or fat?

The study, published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, showed that life expectancy for obese men and women was 4.2 and 3.5 years shorter respectively than people in the entire healthy BMI weight range. The difference for underweight men and women was 4.3 (men) and 4.5 (women) years.

What body type is best for longevity?

Mesomorphs live the longest.

What bodyweight lives the longest?

Other studies show that the lowest mortality in the entire range of BMI is obtained in the overweight range (25–29.9). Reconciling the extension of life span in laboratory animals by experimental CR with the BMI–mortality curve of human epidemiology is not trivial.

Doctors Found THIS Body Type Lives the Longest Its Not What You Think

Is being skinny better for longevity?

Study: Being in Shape is Far Better for Longevity than Being Thin. A new study from the University of Virginia examined the relationship between aerobic fitness, body mass and longevity. It was the largest, most thorough study on the issue to date, analyzing a vast amount of earlier research.

What is the strongest predictor of longevity?

While several factors contribute, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max) and strong social connections/relationships are consistently highlighted as the biggest predictors of longevity, with physical activity levels and lack of smoking/excessive drinking also crucial. VO2 max reflects how well your heart, lungs, and muscles use oxygen, linking to lower disease risk, while nurturing relationships provides stress resilience and well-being. 

What is the unhealthiest body type?

The "apple" body shape, where fat concentrates around the midsection (visceral fat), is considered the most unhealthy because it significantly increases risks for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and liver issues, even in people with a normal weight, compared to "pear" shapes (fat in hips/thighs). A larger waist circumference (over 35" for women, 40" for men) is a key indicator of this dangerous belly fat.
 

What are the 5 P's to avoid for longevity?

Italy's youth are facing obesity because of what Longo calls the “poisonous five P's—pizza, pasta, protein, potatoes, and pane (or bread),” Jason Horowitz writes in the NYT. Longo fears Italians will live long but not healthfully if this pattern continues to dominate the culture.

Do chubby people live longer?

Research is mixed, but some large studies suggest mildly overweight people (BMI 25-29.9) might have a slightly lower risk of early death compared to normal-weight individuals, possibly due to better reserves during illness, but this doesn't mean being overweight is healthy, as heavier obesity significantly raises risks for diabetes, heart disease, and cancers, shortening lifespan. Doctors caution that these findings might reflect better care for heavier patients or "reverse causation" (sickness causing weight loss), and extreme obesity definitely shortens life. 

How thin is dangerously thin?

In the data, presented as a conference paper at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, being underweight carried the greatest danger. People with a BMI below 18.5 were nearly three times more likely to die prematurely than those with a BMI between 22.5 and 24.9.

Do skinny people age more?

Being Over or Underweight. Everyone seems to understand that being overweight or obese can add stress to the body that accelerates the aging process, but so does being underweight. Not only this, but underweight people lack the pads of fat beneath the skin that plump out wrinkles.

What shortens your lifespan the most?

Smoking. According to the PNAS study, current smokers and those with a history of smoking had the greatest risk of early mortality.

What race stays alive the longest?

People of Asian descent consistently have the longest life expectancy in the U.S. and globally, often followed by Hispanic populations, while American Indians/Alaska Natives and Black populations generally have shorter lifespans, though these figures vary by source and year, influenced by diet, lifestyle (like green tea, soy), genetics, and socioeconomic factors. 

What's the least common body type?

Despite this, there are many different body shapes, with an hourglass shape being one of the least common, but the most desired. Typically, designer clothes may fit a woman in size but not flatter her as they were made for a model's neat hourglass body shape.

Do calm people live longer?

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A 50-year long study suggests that men and women who are active, emotionally calm, and organized, may live longer than people with less positive personality traits such as anxiousness, anger, or fearfulness.

Who lives longer, big or small people?

Yes, multiple studies suggest shorter people tend to live longer than taller people, often by a few years, with shorter stature linked to lower risks of certain cancers, heart disease, and better insulin levels, possibly due to fewer cells, less cell replication, and beneficial genes like FOXO3, though genetics, lifestyle, and environment also play huge roles in longevity.
 

How long will a 70 year old live?

At age 70, average remaining life expectancy in the U.S. is around 14-15 years for men and 16-17 years for women, meaning they'd live to about 84-85 and 86-87, respectively, but this varies greatly with health, lifestyle (like smoking, diet, exercise), and disability status, with non-disabled individuals living significantly longer than those with functional limitations. 

What is the prettiest body type?

There's no single "prettiest" body type, as beauty is subjective, but scientific studies and surveys often point towards curviness with a defined waist (hourglass) or an athletic/strong build as highly attractive, signaling youth, health, and fertility. For women, a balanced figure with a narrower waist than hips/shoulders (hourglass) is frequently cited, while for men, broad shoulders with a smaller waist (inverted pyramid) or a "dad bod" (relaxed, slightly soft) can be appealing. Ultimately, healthy, vibrant bodies across different shapes are considered attractive.
 

What is the weakest body type?

The extreme ectomorph physique is a fragile and delicate one. The bones are light, joints are small and muscles are slight. The limbs are relatively long in proportion and the shoulders droop.

What is the rarest body shape?

The rarest body shape is often cited as the hourglass figure, characterized by balanced bust and hip measurements with a significantly smaller waist, with some studies suggesting only about 8% of women naturally have it, while the inverted triangle (broad shoulders, narrow hips) and certain somatotypes like the ectomorph (naturally thin) are also considered quite uncommon, though rarity can vary by population.
 

Which birth month lives the longest?

People born in the autumn months (September, October, November) tend to live longer, with studies showing they have higher chances of reaching 100 and slightly longer lifespans than spring-born individuals (April, May, June), likely due to better early-life environments, though winter and early spring births also show potential longevity benefits. The pattern reverses in the Southern Hemisphere, with spring/summer babies living longer, suggesting environmental factors during fetal development and infancy play a key role, say PNAS, National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov), Reader's Digest, New Scientist, National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov), Demographic Research, ResearchGate, MARCA, ABC News, National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov), Deseret News, National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov), Fatherly, National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov), China.org]. 

What food adds 33 minutes to your life?

A peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) sandwich adds about 33 minutes to your healthy life, according to a University of Michigan study that analyzed foods' impact on lifespan, with nuts and fruits contributing benefits like healthy fats and antioxidants that promote cardiovascular health. This research used a Health Nutritional Index (HNI) to quantify life gained or lost per serving, finding that whole foods like PB&J, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables increase healthy life, while processed items like hot dogs decrease it. 

What is the biggest predictor of early death?

The risk for premature death is associated with modifiable factors that vary by disease (3). Four of the five leading risk factors for premature death are more prevalent in rural areas of the United States: using tobacco, obesity, physical inactivity, and drinking alcohol or drinking in excess (4,5).