Being obese is better for you than constant dieting, a new study has suggested.

Research from York University in Canada has shown that obese individuals have the same life expectancy as skinny people who lead a similar lifestyle. It was also discovered that obese people were less likely to die from cardiovascular causes.

In a conclusion that will interest those in dietitian jobs, lead author Jennifer Kuk claimed her study challenged the views that all fat people should lose weight.

Speaking to The Daily Star, she said: "Our findings challenge the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight. Moreover, it's possible that trying and failing to lose weight and engaging in a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables."  

The researchers conducted their study by measuring the mortality rates of 6,000 obese individuals throughout a 16-year period.

According to Medical News Today, it was found that as long as they carried no additional physical, psychological or physiological impairments then their weight would have no bearing on their life expectancy.

The team used an alternative to the Body Mass Index (BMI) called the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS), to determine whether or not their sample group needed to lose weight.