CBNNews.com - Being overweight can take years off your life according to a new study conducted at Oxford University in England.

Researchers say being just 40 pounds overweight can cut off about three years from a person's life and being 100 pounds or more overweight can shorten a life by about ten years.

The reason is because obesity increases the risk for heart disease and strokes.

Obesity raises blood pressure, causing an imbalance in cholesterol levels which can also trigger Diabetes.

Doctors also say being overweight can be just as dangerous to your health as smoking is.