50 and 100 Years Ago; May 1993; Scientific American Magazine; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

MAY 1943 All in all, longevity is probably the best single index of 'ideal' weight. A large-scale study by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company has shown definitely that at the young adult ages a moderate degree of overweight was beneficial, but that beginning at about 35, the advantage lay with women of average weight. In middle age and beyond, the underweights had the best longevity record. Even in young people, the advantage of a moderate degree of overweight has been diminishing, because two important diseases--tuberculosis and pneumonia--which have largely accounted for the excess mortality among young underweights in the past, have been brought under control.

In a recent discussion of helicopters, Igor Sikorsky revealed that his present model has flown at a maximum speed of 80 miles an hour, has carried two people, and has extreme ease of control and smooth riding qualities. He has estimated that during early production of helicopters the price would probably be comparable to that of a medium-priced airplane; in quantity production the cost would undoubtedly approach that of a medium-priced automobile.