Obesity increases the risk of several diseases, some of them serious. It also shortens life expectancy. However, statistics show that this is only part of the story.
A question of relevance. A new study suggests one variable predicts the risk of death better than obesity: cardiorespiratory fitness. In other words, fitness matters more than the number on the scale. After all, the goal is to live longer.
The study team found that when they accounted for cardiorespiratory fitness, mortality rates associated with obesity were similar to those of people with “normal” weight. The authors explained that mortality was about half that of people with “normal” weight but poor fitness.
“As a society, we tend to equate body weight or fatness with health status. Our study, which features the largest and most globally representative sample to date, along with more rigorous statistical analysis compared to previous research, aims to shift perspectives on the relationship between fitness and body fat,” study co-author Nathan Weeldryer said in a press release.
Review of studies. The team conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, collecting numerous studies, examining them, and performing a quantitative analysis based on their findings.
This analysis included 20 studies published between 1980 and 2023, with 398,716 total participants. Most studies classified individuals as “fit” if they ranked above the 20th percentile within their age group.
The researchers published their findings in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
More than burning calories. The recipe for weight loss may seem simple: burn more calories than you consume. But staying healthy goes beyond this. Exercise does more than burn calories—it acts as “medicine” to optimize overall health and reduce the risk of early death.
The team observed that those who exercised little but began doing so experienced the most significant risk reduction. Even moderate exercise brought noticeable benefits for sedentary individuals.
Based on these findings, the researchers suggested focusing on fitness-based interventions rather than weight loss to improve the health of people with obesity.
Image | Jonathan Borba (Unsplash)
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