It is well known that exceeding the usual weight range is associated with various health problems. Given that many of them can be life-threatening, weight gain is not directly responsible for reducing the life expectancy of people with illnesses. There is considerable evidence that being above the average weight could reduce living time.
For instance, a study of more than a few thousand overweight people increases the risk of dying due to a typical cause for a man between forty and forty-five years of age compared to a male who is around six years younger. The risk for a similar older woman is higher than for women six and a half years older. Another study, this time involving over a million adults, confirmed an increased risk of death due to some reason and cancer and heart disease as well as a higher percentage of moderate to severe overweight for women and men in all age groups. [1]