Fitness Determines Longevity Regardless Of Body Fat

Abstract Summary:

Although levels of physical activity and aerobic capacity decline with age and the prevalence of obesity tends to increase with age, the independent and joint associations among fitness, adiposity, and mortality in older adults have not been adequately examined.

Study Title:

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Adiposity as Mortality Predictors in Older Adults

Study Abstract:

There were 450 deaths during a mean follow-up of 12 years and 31 236 person-years of exposure. Death rates per 1000 person-years, adjusted for age, sex, and examination year were 13.9, 13.3, 18.3, and 31.8 across BMI groups of 18.5-24.9, 25.0-29.9, 30.0-34.9, and 35.0, respectively (P = .01 for trend); 13.3 and 18.2 for normal and high waist circumference (88 cm in women; 102 cm in men) (P = .004); 13.7 and 14.6 for normal and high percent body fat (30% in women; 25% in men) (P = .51); and 32.6, 16.6, 12.8, 12.3, and 8.1 across incremental fifths of fitness (P < .001 for trend). The association between waist circumference and mortality persisted after further adjustment for smoking, baseline health status, and BMI (P = .02) but not after additional adjustment for fitness (P = .86). Fitness predicted mortality risk after further adjustment for smoking, baseline health, and either BMI, waist circumference, or percent body fat (P < .001 for trend).

Study Information:

Xuemei Sui, MD; Michael J. LaMonte, PhD; James N. Laditka, PhD; James W. Hardin, PhD; Nancy Chase, BS; Steven P. Hooker, PhD; Steven N. Blair, PED Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Adiposity as Mortality Predictors in Older Adults JAMA 2007 December 298(21):2507-2516.
Departments of Exercise Science (Drs Sui, Hooker, and Blair and Ms Chase) and Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Drs Laditka, Hardin, and Blair), Center for Health Services and Policy Research (Dr Hardin), and Prevention Research Center (Dr Hooker), Universit

Full Study:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/298/21/2507

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