For years, weight loss has been a central focus of health discussions but new research suggests that being in shape is far more important for longevity than being thin. A comprehensive study has found that being out of shape significantly increases the risk of early death —regardless of age or body mass index (BMI) . The power of fitness over weight The largest study of its kind, recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed data from nearly 400,000 middle-aged or older individuals across multiple countries.
Researchers discovered that those who were aerobically fit had a much lower risk of premature death—even if they had obesity—compared to those with normal weight but poor fitness levels. “This tells us that it’s much more important, all things considered, to focus on fitness rather than weight,” explained Siddhartha Angadi, an Exercise Physiologist at the University of Virginia and the study’s senior author. Can you be heavy and healthy? The relationship between weight and health has long been debated but this new research provides compelling evidence that fitness can mitigate many risks associated with obesity.
While obesity increases the likelihood of serious conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, being physically active and aerobically fit can counteract these risks. A 2021 study even found that beginning an exercise program lowered the risk of premature death by about 30%—double the benefit seen from losing weight throu.