Can you be healthy and overweight?
Can you be healthy and overweight? We look at the science and when weight loss might still help.
Ask the question, 'Can you be healthy and overweight?' and you're likely to hear some strong opinions.
Some say no, pointing to clear links between body weight and conditions like heart disease or diabetes. Others argue that BMI is flawed and paints an incomplete picture of health.
So, who's right? As is often the case with health, the answer isn't a simple 'yes' or 'no'.
There are risks associated with higher body weight. But that doesn't mean every person with a larger body is automatically unhealthy. And the opposite is also true: being thin doesn't guarantee someone is fit and healthy. Weight plays a role in health, but it's just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Let's look at what the evidence actually says.
BMI isn't the full picture
BMI is the medical world's go-to method for diagnosing obesity. It's calculated using your height and weight. Depending on your BMI, you're placed into one of four categories: underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese.
However, BMI has major limitations. It doesn't take into account muscle mass, fat distribution, body composition or lifestyle. It also overlooks important variables like age, ethnicity, sex and activity levels.
A person with high muscle mass might be labelled overweight on the BMI chart even if they're metabolically healthy. And someone with a 'healthy' BMI might still have a poor diet or low activity levels.
So, while BMI can be useful for spotting trends across populations, many experts argue that it's too simplistic to assess individual health on its own.
Metabolic health tells us more
BMI is a blunt tool. Metabolic markers are more precise. They offer a clearer view of what's happening inside the body – from insulin sensitivity and cholesterol to blood pressure, triglycerides, and inflammation.
Some people with a higher BMI have good scores across all these markers. This is sometimes referred to as 'metabolically healthy obesity' (MHO), which might seem to suggest that a person's weight isn't harming their health.
But it's not quite that simple. As endocrinologist Matthias Blüher writes, there's no universally accepted definition of MHO – and estimates of how common it is range widely.
Some people with MHO stay metabolically healthy for years. Others see their health markers shift over time. In fact, research suggests that up to half of those classed as metabolically healthy while living with obesity may become metabolically unhealthy within a decade.
So, yes. It's possible to be overweight and healthy – especially in the short term. However, that picture can and often does change over time.
Fitness matters
Physical activity makes a big difference to long-term health. It can lower blood pressure, improve blood sugar control, support heart health and boost mood and sleep quality –regardless of body size.
Staying physically fit often offers more protection for your heart and overall well-being than simply aiming for a lower BMI.
That's not to say that weight isn't important. However, it does mean that cardiovascular fitness can help put a person's overall health into perspective. For example, two people with the same BMI can have very different health outcomes depending on how they move, eat, sleep, and manage stress.
Health isn't just physical
We often think of health as physical stats, like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, overall well-being is about much more than that.
Mental health, daily stress, sleep quality and social connections all shape how well we feel and function. And these don't always align with weight.
Take someone with a larger body who feels supported, eats nourishing meals, sleeps well and enjoys regular exercise. Their overall health and well-being may be better than someone who weighs less but is lonely or struggling with chronic stress.
There's also the issue of stigma. People living with obesity or overweight are more likely to face bias and judgement in healthcare settings. That leads to delays in diagnosis, lower quality care and greater stress – all of which can worsen health over time.
Being told to 'just lose weight' rarely helps. It tends to increase shame rather than motivation. And it often ignores the bigger picture of someone's life and habits.
Is weight loss still useful?
Yes – especially for people with conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, or joint pain.
Even losing just 5% of total body weight can significantly improve the health of overweight or obese people as well as reduce their risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease.³
But weight loss isn't the only answer. Research shows that improvements in eating habits, increased physical activity, better sleep and stress reduction can deliver real health benefits, even when weight doesn't change much.
A recent review of dietary trials found that participants who didn't lose weight still saw marked improvements in cholesterol levels and reductions in unhealthy visceral fat. This highlights that positive metabolic changes can happen independently of weight loss.
In short, weight loss is important – but it's not the only nut worth cracking. That's why our medical weight loss plans take a holistic approach that encompasses diet, exercise, mental health and more.
A more balanced approach at SemaPen
At SemaPen, we support people who want to lose weight. But we never reduce their health to a number.
We prescribe the weekly weight loss injections Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) as part of a comprehensive weight loss programme for people who meet clinical criteria.
These medications help reduce appetite and support metabolic health. They're suitable for people with a BMI of 30 or above – or 27 and above with weight-related health concerns like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
In clinical trials, semaglutide led to an average of 14.9%⁵ weight loss over 68 weeks, while tirzepatide led to around 21% over 72 weeks.
But medication is only one part of our programme. We also provide expert-led support, habit change guidance, smart scales connected to your care team and a money-back guarantee if the treatment isn't effective.*
There's no pressure. Just clear, compassionate care that puts your long-term well-being first.
So, can you be healthy and overweight?
Sometimes, yes. Especially when your metabolic health is strong and your daily habits support it.
BMI can be useful as a basic guide, but it doesn't tell the full story. Weight loss may be helpful in many situations, but it's not the only way to move towards better health. And when weight loss is the right next step, it should be done safely – with professional support.
Want to learn more? Take our online consultation to discover how our sustainable weight loss options could help you.
Sources and small print
1. Blüher, M. (2020) "Metabolically Healthy Obesity" Endocrine Reviews, 41(3) https://doi.org/10.1210/endrev/bnaa004
2. Weeldreyer, N.R. et al. (2024) "Cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass index and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis" British Journal of Sports Medicine, 59(5) https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-108748
3. Farhana, A. & Rehman, A. (2023) Metabolic Consequences of Weight Reduction, StatPearls Publishing https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572145/
4. Meir, A.Y. et al. (2025) "Individual response to lifestyle interventions: a pooled analysis of three long-term weight loss trials" European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, zwaf308 https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf308
5. Wilding, J.P.H. et al. (2021) "Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity" The New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11) https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
6. Jastreboff, A.M. et al. (2022) "Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity" The New England Journal of Medicine, 387(3) https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
* Terms and conditions apply.
This article was reviewed and approved by Lujain Alhassan, Bariatric Nutritionist, and Alice Fletcher, Lead Bariatric Dietitian, on 7 July 2025.
