Figure 4. YLL relative to BMI 26 in female non-smokers.

There is a J-shaped association between BMI and YLL at all three of the representative ages. The optimal YLL is at BMI 26 kg/m² for females and YLL figures relate to this reference BMI value. The ‘accepted normal’ BMI category ranges from 18.5 to less than 25 kg/m². Surprisingly, females have slight increased YLL in part of the ‘normal’ BMI category (ie BMI from 18.5 to 24 kg/m²).