tl:dr; A doctor that cherry picks sentences to prove a point ironically after writing a book about scientists who cherry pick data to prove a point. The significant journal of the article is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19890430 This assessed weight (based on BMI) vs mortality. The doctor concluded (and lets fucking quote this)  being "overweight" is the healthiest and most "normal" weight of all.  He used one sentence to make this claim:  The overall mortality of overweight persons (body mass index [BMI] 25-29.9 kg/m(2)) is no higher than that of persons of normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2))  Now that is a significant statement. What this the journal authors conclude? Of course, there are additional words after that sentence, refuting that point. The full section is:  The overall mortality of overweight persons (body mass index [BMI] 25-29.9 kg/m(2)) is no higher than that of persons of normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)), but their mortality from individual diseases is elevated, diminished or unchanged, depending on the particular disease. The overall morbidity is unknown. Both obesity (BMI >30 kg/m(2)) and overweight are associated with increased disease-specific morbidity for some diseases, but decreased or unchanged for others. In general, obesity confers a higher risk than overweight.  Let’s go piece by piece. Being overweight has a "mortality from individual diseases [that] is elevated, diminished or unchanged". It is reasonable that obesity could be beneficial to a disease. For example. Lets say you have constant hypotension (low blood pressure). Your blood vessels cannot constrict and you are fainting. Well obesity can constrict your blood vessels and you are in a better state. The article clearly states “the overall morbidity is unknown”. We don’t know of overweight is worse, so the author is saying it is better than normal.