BBC science correspondents slacking

Can you be fat and fit? Maybe. The evidence is mixed, erring more on the yays (within limits) than the nays. A new study reported on by the BBC appears to lend strong credibility to the notion:

"When adjusting for fitness and other confounders, metabolically healthy but obese individuals had lower risk (30–50%, estimated by hazard ratios) of all-cause mortality, non-fatal and fatal cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality than their metabolically unhealthy obese peers; while no significant differences were observed between metabolically healthy but obese and metabolically healthy normal-fat participants."

This is a very powerful finding that has been picked up quite widely by the presses. However, what the BBC report (along with others) fails to note is that the study is co-sponsored by Coca-Cola. Now, this doesn't mean that it can't be trusted and is a load of baloney. However, a key pillar of neutrality is seriously hindered by this vested interest, throwing the validity of the claim into doubt. Me thinks we must await more studies before making up our minds.