- New research shows fitness level is more important than weight when it comes to cardiovascular health and mortality.
- The meta-analysis found that higher levels of cardiovascular fitness had significant health benefits, regardless of which BMI category participants fell into.
Although body mass index (BMI) has been routinely criticized as a poor measure of overall health, it is now used by many healthcare professionals as a shortcut to understanding whether someone is at higher health risk. It is still used by people and individuals. but, new meta-analysis This shows another reason why you should choose the longer route instead.
Published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, The study looked at 20 studies comparing cardiorespiratory fitness and BMI in nearly 400,000 adults in terms of their effects on cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality risk.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is defined as the ability of your circulatory and respiratory systems to deliver oxygen to your muscles during exercise; the better you are, the healthier you are. VO2 max is recognized as a marker of cardiorespiratory fitness. According to Previous researchthis indicator is widely considered to be beneficial for both physical and mental health in all age groups.
In a new meta-analysis, researchers found that people with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were significantly protected from cardiovascular disease and other mortality risks, regardless of which BMI category they fell into. In fact, people classified as “obese” on the BMI chart but considered healthy had a much lower risk of death compared to “normal” weight and unhealthy participants.
“The key message of our study is that from a health perspective, the risks of being unhealthy are far worse than the risks associated with carrying excess weight,” said the lead author. Siddhartha AngadiPh.D., Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Virginia. “Unhealthy people had a two to three times higher risk of death than healthy people in all weight categories, whether they were considered normal weight, overweight, or obese. This study found that fitness is more important than obesity. It is based on extensive research over the past 30 years that highlights the importance of
In this review, the researchers attempted to overcome the methodological shortcomings of previous studies, which tended to lack representation of women, he said. Runner’s World. Despite making that adjustment, the results still held.
BMI probably won’t go down anytime soon, but in an ideal world, exercise capacity would be a much better way to measure health risk and even be considered a “vital sign” similar to blood pressure and pulse. said Angadi. speed and temperature.
Unfortunately, aerobic capacity is not something that can be easily measured, as it requires a cardiopulmonary exercise test that assesses VO2 max, or at least a traditional stress test that can estimate that number.
Your smartwatch will likely also show you an estimate of your VO2 max. However, Angadi said the problem with these devices is that the algorithm is not based on gas exchange measurements and relies on heart rate, so they overestimate VO2 in relatively unfit people and overestimate VO2 in healthy people. He said that this is something that people tend to underestimate. Therefore, your watch cannot provide clinical insight into your health or predict health events.
However, if you use a watch to track your workouts and run regularly, you may be on the right track to protecting your heart and avoiding chronic disease. What’s more, Angadi added that simply raising awareness about the importance of fitness over weight could be helpful to the public.
As for how individuals can improve their cardiovascular fitness levels, Angadi said it’s difficult to answer because thresholds vary by age and gender. But following that, American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines for Physical Activity A good place to start is with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week. (See also tips for increasing your VO2 max.)
“As always, we recommend consulting your doctor before embarking on any exercise program, especially if you have a history of chronic illness,” he added.
Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
