Episode 206 - 49 Benefits of Being Fat

We’re constantly told that being fat is bad for us, that fat people are ticking time bombs and are pathetic, sad sacks. Is it true? Are fat people giant losers who are doomed to an “unhealthy,” miserable existence? In this episode, we flip the script and explore the surprising advantages of fatness. From better disease outcomes to unique social benefits, mental health perks, and even survival advantages, I share 49 benefits of being fat you probably haven’t considered. How many can you think of? TW: brief mention of O words.

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Flodin et al., 2016 — https://doi.org/10.3109/17453674.2015.1125282

Yang et al., 2022 — https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-022-03131-3

Qiao et al., 2020 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2019.11.001

Valentijn et al., 2013 — https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2162-y

Mullen et al., 2009 — https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e3181ad8935

Wang et al., 2025 — https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2025.1600503

Ernsberger & Haskew, 1987 — Rethinking Obesity

Pinto et al., 2023 — https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12041258

Macchi et al., 2018 — https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12820

Grigoriadis et al., 2017 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2016.09.003

Norgan, 1997 — https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0800473

Flegal et al., 2013 — https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.113905

Durnea et al., 2018 — https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12403

Garretto et al., 2016 — https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9376592

Meadows & Higgs, 2022 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.06.004

Tonic, 2021 — https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a32823682/fat-sex/

Niedziela et al., 2014 — https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9961-9

Li et al., 2022 — https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac005

Nie et al., 2014 — https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-12-61

Brookshire, 2026 — https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fat-doesnt-deserve-its-bad-rap/

Gunawardana, 2014 — https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v5.i4.420

Sakers et al., 2022 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.016

Chuang et al., 2016 — https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-015-0059-9

Perera et al., 2016 — https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12244

Lee et al., 2025 — https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06381-z

Geulayov et al., 2019 — https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718003239

Emery Allen poem — https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7530470-kiss-your-own-fingertips-and-hug-your-own-curves-you

Alharbi et al., 2021 — https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa231

Zou et al., 2019 — https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00728

Subramaniam et al., 2023 — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccrj.2023.10.004

Deng et al., 2021 — https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268820003179

Ioannou et al., 2020 — https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.22310

Chastain, 2020 — https://danceswithfat.org/2020/10/05/study-body-size-not-a-covid-19-risk-factor/

Flodin, L., Laurin, A., Lökk, J., Cederholm, T., & Hedström, M. (2016). Increased 1-year survival and discharge to independent living in overweight hip fracture patients. Acta Orthopaedica, 87(2), 146–151. https://doi.org/10.3109/17453674.2015.1125282

Yang, T-I., Chen, Y-H., Chiang, M-H., Kuo, Y-J., & Chen, Y-P. (2022). Inverse relation of body weight with short-term and long-term mortality following hip fracture surgery. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 17, 249. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-022-03131-3

Qiao, D., Li, Y., Liu, X., Zhang, X., Qian, X., Zhang, H., Zhang, G., & Wang, C. (2020). Association of obesity with bone mineral density and osteoporosis in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health, 180, 22–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2019.11.001

Valentijn, T. M., Galal, W., Hoeks, S. E., van Gestel, Y. R., Verhagen, H. J., & Stolker, R. J. (2013). Impact of obesity on postoperative and long-term outcomes in a general surgery population: A retrospective cohort study. World Journal of Surgery, 37(11), 2561–2568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2162-y

Mullen, J. T., Moorman, D. W., & Davenport, D. L. (2009). The obesity paradox: Body mass index and outcomes in patients undergoing nonbariatric general surgery. Annals of Surgery, 250(1), 166–172. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e3181ad8935

Wang, Q., Li, Z., Wang, X. H., Li, B., Wang, C., & Xiang, Y. (2025). Effect of obesity on perioperative outcomes following lung cancer surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Oncology, 15, 1600503. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2025.1600503

Ernsberger, P., & Haskew, P. (1987). Rethinking Obesity: An Alternative View of Its Health Implications. Human Sciences Press.

Pinto, V., Pignatti, M., Parente, G., Di Salvo, N., Contu, L., & Lima, M. (2023). Role of autologous fat grafting in the conservative treatment of fecal incontinence in children. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(4), 1258. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12041258

Macchi, V., Stocco, E., Stecco, C., Belluzzi, E., Favero, M., Porzionato, A., & De Caro, R. (2018). The infrapatellar fat pad and the synovial membrane: An anatomo-functional unit. Journal of Anatomy, 233(2), 146–154. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12820

Grigoriadis, G., Newell, N., Carpanen, D., Christou, A., Bull, A. M. J., & Masouros, S. D. (2017). Material properties of the heel fat pad across strain rates. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 65, 398–407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2016.09.003

Norgan, N. G. (1997). The beneficial effects of body fat and adipose tissue in humans. International Journal of Obesity, 21(9), 738–746. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0800473

Flegal, K. M., Kit, B. K., Orpana, H., & Graubard, B. I. (2013). Association of all-cause mortality with overweight and obesity using standard body mass index categories: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA, 309(1), 71–82. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.113905

Durnea, C. M., Jaffery, A. E., Gauthaman, N., & Doumouchtsis, S. K. (2018). Effect of body mass index on the incidence of perineal trauma. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 141(2), 166–170. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12403

Garretto, D., Lin, B. B., Syn, H. L., Judge, N., Beckerman, K., Atallah, F., Friedman, A., Brodman, M., & Bernstein, P. S. (2016). Obesity may be protective against severe perineal lacerations. Journal of Obesity, 2016, 9376592. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9376592

Meadows, A., & Higgs, S. (2022). Challenging oppression: A social identity model of stigma resistance in higher-weight individuals. Body Image, 42, 237–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.06.004

Tonic, G. (2021, February 12). Why I only want to have sex with fat bodies. Cosmopolitan. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a32823682/fat-sex/

Niedziela, J., Hudzik, B., Niedziela, N., et al. (2014). The obesity paradox in acute coronary syndrome: A meta-analysis. European Journal of Epidemiology, 29, 801–812. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9961-9

Li, Y., Li, C., Wu, G., Yang, W., Wang, X., Duan, L., Niu, L., Chen, J., Zhang, Y., Zhou, W., Liu, J., Hong, L., & Fan, D. (2022). The obesity paradox in patients with colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 80(7), 1755–1768. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac005

Nie, W., Zhang, Y., Jee, S. H., Jung, K. J., Li, B., & Xiu, Q. (2014). Obesity survival paradox in pneumonia: A meta-analysis. BMC Medicine, 12, 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-12-61

Brookshire, B. (2026). Fat doesn’t deserve its bad rap. Scientific American. Retrieved March 9, 2026, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fat-doesnt-deserve-its-bad-rap/

Gunawardana, S. C. (2014). Benefits of healthy adipose tissue in the treatment of diabetes. World Journal of Diabetes, 5(4), 420–430. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v5.i4.420

Sakers, A., De Siqueira, M. K., Seale, P., & Villanueva, C. J. (2022). Adipose-tissue plasticity in health and disease. Cell, 185(3), 419–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.016

Chuang, J.-F., Rau, C.-S., Liu, H.-T., Wu, S.-C., Chen, Y.-C., Hsu, S.-Y., Hsieh, H.-Y., & Hsieh, C.-H. (2016). Obese patients who fall have less injury severity but a longer hospital stay than normal-weight patients. World Journal of Emergency Surgery, 11, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-015-0059-9

Perera, S., Eisen, R. B., Dennis, B. B., Bawor, M., Bhatt, M., Bhatnagar, N., Thabane, L., de Souza, R., & Samaan, Z. (2016). Body mass index is an important predictor for suicide: Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 46(6), 697–736. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12244

Lee, J., Lee, S.-H., Kim, M.-K., Kwon, H.-S., Yun, J.-S., Yang, Y., Yoon, K.-H., Cho, J.-H., Pae, C.-U., Han, K., & Son, J. W. (2025). Inverse association between obesity and suicidal death risk. BMC Psychiatry, 25, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06381-z

Geulayov, G., Ferrey, A., Hawton, K., Hermon, C., Reeves, G. K., Green, J., Beral, V., Floud, S., & Million Women Study Collaborators. (2019). Body mass index in midlife and risk of attempted suicide and suicide: Prospective study of 1 million UK women. Psychological Medicine, 49(13), 2279–2286. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718003239

Allen, E. (Poem quote). “Kiss your own fingertips and hug your own curves…” Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7530470-kiss-your-own-fingertips-and-hug-your-own-curves-you

Alharbi, T. A., Paudel, S., Gasevic, D., Ryan, J., Freak-Poli, R., & Owen, A. J. (2021). The association of weight change and all-cause mortality in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Age and Ageing, 50(3), 697–704. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa231

Zou, H., Yin, P., Liu, L., Liu, W., Zhang, Z., Yang, Y., Li, W., Zong, Q., & Yu, X. (2019). Body-weight fluctuation was associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10, 728. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00728

Subramaniam, A., Ling, R. R., Ridley, E. J., & Pilcher, D. V. (2023). The impact of body mass index on long-term survival after ICU admission due to COVID-19: A retrospective multicentre study. Critical Care and Resuscitation, 25(4), 182–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccrj.2023.10.004

Deng, L., Zhang, J., Wang, M., & Chen, L. (2021). Obesity is associated with severe COVID-19 but not death: A dose-response meta-analysis. Epidemiology & Infection, 149, e144. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268820003179

Ioannou, G. N., Locke, E., Green, P., Berry, K., O’Hare, A. M., Shah, J. A., Crothers, K., Eastment, M. C., Dominitz, J. A., & Fan, V. S. (2020). Risk factors for hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, or death among 10,131 US veterans with SARS-CoV-2 infection. JAMA Network Open, 3(9), e2022310. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.22310

Chastain, R. (2020, October 5). Study – Body Size NOT a COVID-19 Risk Factor. Dances With Fat. https://danceswithfat.org/2020/10/05/study-body-size-not-a-covid-19-risk-factor/

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