Body Fat Increases Risk of Death

Overweight adults are more likely to die at any given point in time, compared with their normal-weight friends, according to a new study that looked at 1.46 million white adults in the National Cancer Institute Cohort Consortium studies. Overweight women were 13 percent more likely to die over a 10-year follow-up, while obese women had a 44 percent to 151 percent increased risk of dying, compared with those of normal weight. Men had similar increased risks.

Prior studies have shown nonvegetarians have higher BMIs than those who consume plant-based diets, putting them at greater risk.