Mixed
High cardiorespiratory fitness does not completely eliminate the increased mortality risk associated with high body fatness (obesity).
Do not assume that being physically active cancels out the health risks of being overweight. While fitness is beneficial, maintaining a healthy body weight is also critical for minimizing mortality risk. Aim for both regular exercise and a healthy body composition.
The authors conclude that both fitness and fatness are risk factors for mortality, and that being fit does not completely reverse the increased risk associated with excess adiposity.
Why this rating
Large cohort (n=5,366), long follow-up (up to 26 years), but observational design limits causal inference.
Source
Fitness and Fatness as Predictors of Mortality from All Causes and from Cardiovascular Disease in Men and Women in the Lipid Research Clinics Study
June Stevens · American Journal of Epidemiology · 2002
DOI 10.1093/aje/kwf114
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