It’s nice to be slender and in good cardiovascular shape so you can ward off heart disease. Not being overweight or obese also plays a role in longevity since people who are obese have a higher risk of chronic diseases that lead to earlier mortality. But which is most important for lowering your risk of mortality – a low BMI or a higher fitness level? A large study recently addressed this issue.
Is Fitness or Thinness More Important for a Long Life?
According to a recent study published in the journal Circulation, you’re better off going to the gym rather than struggling to lose a few pounds by dieting. Researchers looked at mortality data on almost 15,000 mostly overweight or obese men as part of a study called the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. As a result, they made some interesting discoveries.
After following these men for almost 12 years, they found that males who had improved their fitness level over the 12-year study had a 39% lower risk of mortality compared to those who showed a decline in fitness. Even men who maintained their fitness level reduced their mortality by 30% relative to those who became less fit. The men who improved or maintained their fitness also had a lower risk of heart disease and a reduced risk of dying of heart disease as well.
In terms of BMI, the results weren’t so impressive. When the researchers took all factors into account, they didn’t find an association between BMI and overall mortality or heart disease risk. Surprisingly, men who became overweight didn’t have increased mortality or greater risk for heart disease, and men who lost weight didn’t have lower mortality.
What Does This Mean?
It’s hard to say whether these results apply to everyone since most of the men in this study were already overweight or obese, and the study didn’t include women. But based on this research, at least when it comes to prolonging life, it’s all about staying fit. On the other hand, not all studies concur.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found an increased risk of mortality of up to 40% in people who were overweight and a 3-times greater risk of premature death in those who were obese even after they controlled for their level of physical activity. Other studies show a similar link, especially for obesity. So, it’s premature to say that body weight plays an insignificant role in longevity, and it doesn’t intuitively make sense. It’s hard to discount the fact that obesity increases the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and some types of cancer that can shorten lifespan.
The Bottom Line?
Even if you have been unsuccessful at losing weight, you can still boost your health and longevity by working out. Some overweight and obese people feel discouraged when they go to the gym and aren’t successful at losing weight. In frustration, they give up because they assume that exercise doesn’t “work” for them, but being fit is just as important as maintaining a normal weight if not more so. Exercise has benefits independent of body weight.
References:
Circulation 2011; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.038422.
N Engl J Med 2006; 355:763-778.
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