Did SF 49ers Herrion Die of Obesity?

Ever since San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Thomas Herrion, 23, collapsed and died following a preseason game in Denver, health experts have been wondering if obesity was partly to blame, as The Washington Post observed.

"Yes, it could be totally unrelated to his weight, but the fact remains that he was 6-3 and he weighed 310 pounds and probably should have been 210 pounds," Dr. Joyce Harp, a University of North Carolina endocrinologist, told the Associated Press.

Herrion was listed at 6-3 and 315 pounds — 15 to 25 pounds heavier than last season, according to his agent.

AP Photo

The athlete’s death brought to the limelight Dr. Harp’s 2003 study, published in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association), which found that 97 percent of NFL players were overweight and 56 percent qualified as obese (30 pounds or more over a healthy weight).

News reports also noted that Herrion’s father had diabetes and died last year of a stroke and that his mother suffers from high blood pressure.

NFL officials refute Dr. Harp’s study, contending that it paid no attention to body muscle vs. fat ratios and ignored the fact that NFL players exercise and keep physically fit.

Herrion’s tragic death points out how important it is for athlete to maintain a correct weight — even if he or she is physicial fit and has muscle tone.

Interestingly, what was lacking from all the news reports was any mention of the fact that many athletes eat processed carbs and drink soda. In fact, some sports teams have been tied to soft drink companies. And, as recent research shows, over-consumption of these foods could be related to obesity.

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