Obesity is well considered It’s one of the most important factors in the likelihood of early death, but a new review reveals that cardiorespiratory fitness actually has a greater impact on mortality risk. and our long-term health.
In other words, although obesity is associated with many health problems, being healthy is more important than being “thin” to live longer and stay healthy for longer. This finding could be a reason to rethink public health strategies and treatments.
“As a society, we tend to equate weight and obesity with health status.” say Nathan Weldryer, a kinesiologist at the University of Virginia.
“Our study features the largest and most globally representative sample to date and more rigorous statistical analysis compared to previous studies, and aims to change the way we look at the relationship between fitness and body fat. ”
Researchers from the US and UK compiled and analyzed data from 20 studies published between 1980 and 2023, with a total sample size of 398,716 people. All studies included the following data body mass index (BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness, and mortality risk.
The researchers found that the risk of premature death for healthy obese people was similar to the risk for healthy people classified as normal weight. Additionally, people who are obese and healthy have a longer life expectancy than those who are normal weight and unhealthy.
This data doesn’t show that fitness is the only factor involved, but it highlights how important it is to our overall health. This is consistent with previous research linking good health to lower mortality rates, but it’s also worth remembering that everyone is different in how exercise affects their bodies.
“We found that fitness is much more important than obesity when it comes to mortality risk.” say Siddhartha Angadi, an exercise physiologist at the University of Virginia, says:
“Exercise is more than just a way to burn calories; it is a great ‘medicine’ for optimizing overall health and can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in people of all sizes. You can.”
Researchers are not denying the health burden of obesity. 1 in 8 people worldwide The number of people who now fit the definition of obesity is increasing. Various pressures are applied to the body, Increased risk High blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart, liver, kidney disease, etc.
However, the relationship between obesity and early mortality risk is not clear. The team behind this review wants to focus more on exercise and physical activity rather than weight loss methods.
“Yo-yo dieting, or yo-yo dieting, is associated with a number of health risks comparable to those of obesity itself.” say Glenn Gaither, an exercise physiologist at Arizona State University, says:
“Improving your cardiorespiratory, also known as aerobic, fitness may help you avoid negative health effects.”
This study British Journal of Sports Medicine.
