What is This Guy Thinking?

The New York Times is running a new series (part 1, part 2, subscription needed after 7 days) on the incredible development of humans over the last 100 years, from sickly beings who died in their 40's, to today's bigger, stronger, and longer living boomers. The general theory is that significant improvement in nourishment from the womb to the first two years of life have lead to this trend.

But the real issue that I find interesting is the individual the Times reporter chose as a representative of the new age. The particular man protrays himself as strong, fit, and ready to outlive his ancestors. He maintains he "eats well", and walks in the evenings with his wife to remain fit. The reporter defines him as "exuberantly healthy". He's 45 years old, he weighs 200 pounds, he's 5' 9" tall.

Folks, his BMI is 30. He is therefore obese at the margin, at a minimum, servely overweight. Here's a man in the "precontemplative" stage if I've ever seen one - he has no idea he's in trouble. My question is, why not? He may well live longer than his ancestors, but unless he shapes up, not nearly as long as he could...