Best post-holiday news ever: Slightly schlubby people have lower risk of early death.

Seth Rogen at the low & high end of his schlub range.

Listen, don't stress too much about your weight as long as:

1.  you're healthy otherwise,
2.  your pants fit (pants cost money), and
3.  your BMI (body mass index) is under 30 (calculate it here).


So relieved to find my gut feeling validated:  being slightly schlubby (BMI between 25 and 30) has a protective effect in lowering risk of early death, according to some recent studies.

Reasons for the finding are unknown.  One theory jibes with personal experience:  that little extra fat is your friend when you're super-sick.  To wit:  We have a slender family member who doesn't get ill often but when it happens, it goes to 11.  And the one time I was seriously underweight for about five minutes, I frequently got scary-sick, like think-you're-gonna-die time.

So as long as you're healthy and your clothes fit, don't get too skinny.  You'll live longer.