Prometheus 6

Survival of the fattest?
Unhealthy habits can mean lower medical care costs -- mostly because you're likely to die sooner.
February 9, 2008

Go ahead and laugh -- all the way to the gym. We guffawed before we winced at the Dutch study published this week that found that slim and fit people actually cost the healthcare system more than obese people and smokers. That's because puffers and the pudgy tend to die young, while health nuts live longer and so rack up higher total medical bills.