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| Updated: 1/02 5:32 pm |
Published: 1/02 4:07 pm |
A new study says if you're overweight -- or slightly obese -- you're less likely to die prematurely.
Scientists looked at almost a hundred previous studies and focused on the relationship between death and body mass index, or BMI.
A healthy BMI is between 15.5 and 25.
The study says overweight people with BMI's between 25 and 30 had a somewhat better shot at normal life spans.
But some analysts say it's still not clear exactly what influence weight has on life span.
Recession babies & risky behavior
A new study links those born in the 1980's to risky behavior and economic recession.
Babies born in the early 1980's, when the nation suffered through a deep recession and high unemployment, had higher rates of teen smoking, drinking, drug use and arrests.
More specifically, they were nine percent more likely to smoke marijuana as teenagers.
The risk for being arrested, joining a gang, stealing, and using alcohol and tobacco increased between 6 and 17 percent.
Researchers say the study did not explain why economic factors in infancy cause delinquency in the teen years.
Pill colors matter
When it comes to pills, a study says color really matters.
Brand name drugs come in their signature colors -- but their generic equivalent often times are in a different shade.
The study found patients are up to 50 percent more likely to stop taking a generic medication if it doesn't match the color of its brand-name cousin.
Failure to take a prescribed medication for even a day can be harmful.
Generic drugs account for an estimated 70 percent of all prescription filled in the US.
