Extremely obese people are more likely than normal-weight people to injure themselves, Ohio State University researchers are reporting in the current issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

During a one-year period, the researchers collected health and injury data on more than 2,500 adults living in Colorado . More than one out of four (26 percent) of the extremely obese male participants reported personal injuries, and more than one out of five (21.7 percent) extremely obese women also reported injuries.

By comparison, about 17 percent of normal-weight men reported injuries, as did nearly 12 percent of normal-weight women, according to Huiyun Xiang, the lead researcher and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University.

In this study, people with a BMI lower than 18.5 were considered underweight, and those with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 were considered within a normal weight range. People with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 were considered overweight, but not obese. Participants with a BMI of 30 to 34.9 were considered obese, while those with a BMI of 35 or higher were considered extremely obese.

Overexertion and falls were the most common causes of non-fatal injuries among obese and extremely obese people in the study.

The extremely obese participants reported the most injuries, while underweight people reported the least.

Just over half of the injuries sustained by obese and extremely obese people happened inside the home. Transportation areas, such as store parking lots, bus stations and airports, came in a distant second, with 16.3 percent of all reported injuries happening there.

More than a third of the injuries (35.2 percent) were caused by acute overexertion. Falls took second place, causing 29.9 percent of the injuries.

Injury rates reported by people who were overweight but not obese were similar to those of normal-weight participants. .

"There is undeniably a link between obesity and injury risk in adults," Xiang said. "Efforts to promote optimal body weight may reduce not only the risk of chronic diseases, but also the risk of unintentional injuries."

Other sources: Ohio State University