The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-08-06

DR.. Barton pectancy of any in
dividual as 100 per
cent, his mortality or death rating
as influenced by overweight is given
In percentages. Thus a person 5
feet tall whose standard weight is
l29 pounds, but who weighs so per
cent in excess, or 1913 pounds, has a
mortality OF death rate of ITO per
cent, or 70 per cent above normal"
In commenting upon this fact that
the death rate is increased in pro-
portion to the percentage or amount
of overweight, Dr.. Harry Gauss,
University of Colorado, in his book
"Clinical Dietetics" says: "There
is nothing amazing in these Stats
tics. A person whose normal weight
is $50 pounds and who weighs $50
pounds is carrying 20 per cent ex-
cess body tissue. His heart is re-
quired to pump blood to 20 per
cent increased tissues by weight,
the kidneys must get rid of waste
matter from 20 per cent increased
tissue, the liver and pancreas must
do the work for the same increase
in tissue, and so all the organs in
the abdomen (and also in the
chest) are taxed by the increased
burden"
Now we know that Nature is very
generous, that the limit or margin
of safety in these organs is much
beyond the everyday needs of the
body 1--WE could live with one kid
ney, one half or less of the stomach,
of the liver, and of the intestine),
but the extra strain of overweight
over a number of years must re-
suit in a breaking down before it
otherwise would OCCUR
Tendency to Diabetes.
"And the reducing of the span of
life is not the only penalty, of over
weight. The increased tendency to-
ward diabetes is another. DR.: E. P;
Joslin,. Boston, the outstanding au-
thority on diabetes, has shown that.
diabetes is from ten to twenty times
more common among fat persons
than in normal or undernouriShed
persons" DR.. w. E. Preble, Bos-
ton, who made observations on 1000
cases of obesity (overweight),
found that 432 of the patients showed
evidence of organic heart disease,
230 showed functional diseases of
the heart disturbances such as in
creased rate or irregularity), while
463 showed evidences of interfer-
ence with the work of the kidneys.
That overweight persons are poor
surgical risks is a common obser-
walton of the surgeons, and that
they offer less resistance to such
infections as pneumonia is a COM
mon observation Also"
Now the above facts should not
make those of normal weight think
they would feel better, be more free
of ailments, and live longer if they
were to reduce their weight. To be
of normal weight, with just the right
amount of fat Us to 20 per cent of
the total body weight) is an asset.
Cut Down on Bread.
Nor should those who are slightly
overweight give the above figures
much thought; a matter of 5 to 8
pounds over the average weight
should nus no concern. Perhaps
cutting down Slightly on bread, but
ter and understanding more
would reduce the weight to normal
over a period of two to three
months.
1t is of course fortunate up to a
certain point that the fashion for
slimness has passed it's height;
stage directors no longer demand
that members of the chorus shall
be skinny" and women in general
are not ashamed of curves n
more. This will prove helpful if
women, and men also, will not let
the pendulum swing too far the
other way, and allow themselves to
become overweight, because there
rs no getting away from the facts
presented in insurance tables.
Insurance companies do not re-
fuse applicants for insurance if they
can help it. Their business is to
insure all that they safely" can.
The fact that they refuse applicants
with excessive overweight, and
charge a higher premium for those
who are even moderately over
weight is the strongest possible
argument that overweight is not
only a menace to health but def
nitely shortens, the life span.
Iade SvmhOI 0f I1onS life