James, I agree that obesity does create many, many health problems.
However, though I am not as thin as I used to be, I am not "grossly
overweight" either.
Melody, in all such discussions as this there are stark exceptions. Recall
Lynda's predisposition to counter any observation on health (or anything
else for that matter) by placing the word "all" in it and restating it as if
it were the persons position or posit. For example, in discussions on
smoking (not on this list) someone will always point to Uncle Hershel who
smoked two packs of unfiltered camels a day and lived to be 96 - so
obviously smoking has nothing to do with one's health, anyone's health.
Resist, Melody, countering such observations as are on the table before us
now by saying that it has to be all or nothing. People die suddenly and for
no apparent etiology all the time. It doesn't follow that there is nothing
we can do to enhance our odds and preserve our health.