Need to be clear for public:
Overweight: BMI 25-29
Obese: BMI OVER 29

But this definition the obese are not overweight as the classification is mutually exclusive. Really the key is fitness level. There are other studies that demonstrate that you live longer if you are FIT (aerobically) and heavy than if you are UNFIT and lean.
Generally speaking, if you are Fit, you are more likely to have muscle mass and not just fat. If you are at "appropriate weight" but anorexic, that is not conducive to long life (bones and fat and water, minimal muscle because your body has already cannibalized your muscle). Be clear!

UMMM not sure where you got your facts but all I know is obese people in this country are a far greater burden on our health system and is partly why your insurance is so high! All you righteous people who come down on smokers need to be coming down on fat people! I know of lots of people who smoke and die old but I know of NOT one person who is obese that lived to be old!

It seems like every year doctors and scientist comes out with some new finding. I think they just cannot makeup their minds. Fat make you live longer if you can avoid heart desease caused by obesity, Diabetes, and all other sickness fa causes. I will just enjoy my life and take precautions I see fit and stop listening to these folks.

Dear CNN:

The Intelligence Quotient test arrival favored women over men (white male). The test was revised until white men overwhelmingly surpassed women. Blacks were not allowed a seat at that table. Is the “Supreme Court” truly “Supreme” when it fails to recognize historical racism as the foundation for these United States of America? U.S. public and private institutions have few legislative restraints prohibiting the practice of constructional racism...pro white-male.

it seems that some of the people commenting are confused. it's "overweight" people that live longer, not "obese". "overweight" people have a better chance of surviving certain cancers as well. it also depends on where one carries the weight. heavy around the middle is more dangerous than heavy around the hips. people who are overweight and carry it on the hips are actually LESS likely to get diabetes and heart disease than a thin person with a pot belly. it's a complex issue, not as simple as "fat" vs "thin".

What this study fails too note that the BMI of some athletes is in the Obese Range.

Example I'm 36 yrs old 5' 8" and weigh 176lbs BUT I have less than 11% Body Fat. SO even though I am leaner than most Men my age I am obese according to the BMI.

BMI does not take in to account muscle mass to body fat ratio to account. Its all or nothing with the BMI

After my mother got married she gained all the weight she lost before the wedding. When I mentioned it to her she said "It is because I am content."

Given the fact that some study reported on CNN also indicated 70% of US citizens were obese (not merely overweight) I hope this story does not encourage us to stay that way. It is the fight of my life to try to get back to a healthy weight and it must become the fight of the US. Obesity is a much greater threat to us as a people than terrorism, the economy, or any of the external issues we get such a collective angst about! Yet the health care system, especially insurance, gives those of us who want to win our battle with obesity very little postive help.

This sounds like a dumb study.

"Those who were overweight were 17% less likely to die during the 12 years of the study."

Did they take other factors into consideration like age and other health problems?

If all they considered was weight and the 12 years of the study, it's a useless study. Too bad they wasted all that time.

Correlational studies like this have severe issues. For example it seems very possible that life ending sicknesses cause weight loss. That could easily skew the data such it would seem overweight people live longer. It might really mean people without organ failure or cancer live longer.. (which could easily be reasons for the weight loss).

It is really an interesting article. It is surely an off the topic discussion but we should think about it as well. Just check out the following link for more informtioan about it:
http://cookeryshow.googlepages.com/fitness