Conventional wisdom from doctors, nutritionists and scientists tells us that being overweight is unhealthy. If you are many pounds above what is considered the ideal weight for your height and body type, then you put yourself at risk for various health problems, ranging from hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and certain cancers. With one-third of the American population diagnosed clinically obese, weight loss continues to be the battle cry for these health experts.

But there are those who beg to differ. A small but highly-outspoken group of researchers and nutritionists opine that fit and fat are terms that may be used together without necessarily sacrificing health. This is the stand of one of its vocal advocates, Joanne Ikeda, co-director of the Center for Weight and Health at the University of California at Berkeley. In an interview with the Washington Post, she sums up her side of the debate by saying: "I don't believe height and weight is a good indication of health. If a fat person or obese person has normal blood pressure, if their total cholesterol and glucose levels are normal and they are healthy, there is no reason they should necessarily have to lose weight." She further adds that for as long as these "subset of people who are meant to be large people" eat healthy and exercise regularly, then they are still considered healthy and don't need to lose weight.

However, the traditional advocates disagree. Frank Hu, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, in an interview with Forbes explained that while active obese people did indeed reduce their mortality risk, they still had a 91% greater risk of dying than active lean people. Lean individuals who led sedentary lives had a 55% greater risk of mortality. Hu sums up by saying: "If you're obese, you can reduce your risk of mortality by eating nutritiously and exercising, but you're not home free." Another Harvard School of Public Health expert, Walter Willet, agrees. In the same Washington Post interview, he says: "Being overweight has a clear association with important health problems, and even modest weight loss has important health benefits. To tell people it doesn't matter is really misleading. It does make a difference. It makes a huge difference."

While we acknowledge the fact that some individuals are born on the "heavy side" and are still considered as "metabolically healthy" even if their Body Mass Indexes reveal that they are overweight, we do have to take into consideration the fact that excess pounds, especially those in the midsection, are detrimental. As the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide says, "Extra weight, especially when it's concentrated in a pot belly, stirs up inflammatory processes and disrupts blood sugar regulation."

So where do we stand now in the fat and fit debate? We stick with fitness. Instead of losing pounds, perhaps the real focus should be on doing regular exercise and eating the proper diet to stay healthy. The problem with the fitness industry today is that it focuses more on the number of pounds lost or gained that the real reason behind all these workout routines gets placed in the back seat. We should remain physically active and partake of balanced meals so we can stay healthy and fit. Being lean is the end-result of a successful weight loss program consisting of exercise and healthy eating. While fat and fit is acceptable for those individuals who really can't lose those excess pounds no matter what they do but still remain in the pink of health nonetheless, nothing beats being lean, fit and well.