It is no secret that being obese is a health risk, but a new study shows just how dangerous being overweight can be.
Medical researchers say being severely obese can cut as much as 14 years off a person's life — about the same as smoking.
The study says those who are extremely overweight are at greater risk of dying early from heart disease, cancer, diabetes or a stroke.
Doctors calculate weight and height to come up with a number called body mass index. People with a BMI of 40 or more are considered to be extremely obese.
The study appears in the online medical journal PLOS Medicine.
Some information for this report comes from Reuters.