BMI used to look like it protected people who were overweight—but when you look at belly fat, that protection disappears, and higher BMI just keeps getting riskier.

People with bigger waists are more likely to die sooner, even if their overall weight seems normal—this means where you carry fat matters more than how much you weigh.

Increased waist circumference is associated with a higher risk of metabolic disease and mortality, independent of total body weight.

Being severely obese doesn’t automatically mean you’re at higher risk of dying—what matters more is whether you carry fat around your middle.

People who are too thin have a much higher chance of dying early—even more than those who are obese—suggesting being underweight is just as dangerous as being very overweight.