Mixed
High levels of physical activity do not eliminate the increased mortality risk associated with obesity (BMI ≥30); obese active women have nearly double the mortality risk of lean active women.
Do not assume that being physically active makes you immune to the risks of obesity. This study shows that even highly active obese women have nearly twice the risk of death compared to lean, active women. To maximize longevity, you must prioritize both maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active; exercise alone is not a sufficient shield against the risks of excess adiposity.
Higher levels of physical activity appeared to be beneficial at all levels of adiposity but did not eliminate the higher risk of death associated with obesity... As compared with women who were lean... and active... the multivariate relative risks of death were... 1.91... for women who were obese... but active
Why this rating
Large cohort (116,564 women), long follow-up (24 years), rigorous adjustment for confounders.
Source
Adiposity as Compared with Physical Activity in Predicting Mortality among Women
Frank B. Hu et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2004
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