Can fitness counter fatness?

In a recent study, researchers attempted to answer the very question posed in the title of this post. Before delving into the findings of this study and how it fits with what we already know about this topic, let’s define some key terms. What do we mean by fitness and fatness? Fitness, also referred to as cardiovascular fitness or cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), is a measure of the performance of the heart, lungs, and muscles of the body. Muscle performance includes measures of both strength and endurance. Because of the connections between the mind and body, fitness also has an effect on mental alertness and emotional stability. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), a laboratory measure of the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during exercise, is the optimal measure of CRF. However, self-reported physical activity is often used as a proxy for VO2 max in research studies because it’s much easier and less expensive to assess. Fatness, as I discussed in an earlier blog post, can be defined in many different ways. Body mass index (BMI), a calculation of your size that takes into account your height and weight, is used most commonly. However, we know that measures such as body fat percentage, waist circumference, waist-to-hip, ratio and waist-to-height ratio tell us much more than BMI about a person’s health, metabolic risk, and risk of death. Still, due to the ease and relative inexpensiveness of this measurement, BMI is used most commonly in research studies. Wha...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Exercise and Fitness Source Type: blogs