Behavior Change and Health News
Fit versus Fat: The Debate Continues
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association supports the finding that your level of fitness is more important than your weight in helping you reduce your risk for heart disease. Regular physical activity, regardless of your body shape or size, is vital for attaining and maintaining good health.
Many people begin a physical activity program, such as Active Living Every Day, solely as a way to control their weight. Or they think that they can’t start being active until they lose 20 pounds. But people who get moving find rewards other than weight control.
“Regular physical activity develops moderate levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, no matter what your size or shape, your sex, your ethnic group, or your age,” says Steven N. Blair, PED, president and CEO of The Cooper Institute and an author of Active Living Every Day. “That’s not to say that other factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity are not important; they are. But you can realize tremendous health benefits by becoming active.”
Why is fitness so important to good health?
Rather than focusing only on weight loss, keep in mind the other advantages of physical activity. Being active can produce several benefits even if your weight doesn’t change:
- Bolster your immune system
- Reduce your risk of heart disease
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of diabetes
- Improve your mood
- Reduce stress
- Improve your sleep
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the most important step to better health. You don’t have to start doing vigorous exercise several times a week to get health benefits. Begin with small changes every day and you’ll be on your way to accumulating a healthy amount of activity, as many discover in Active Living Every Day.
“Active Living Every Day offers a kinder, gentler approach to exercise that appeals to many inactive adults,” Blair says. “People can start where they are and progress at their own pace. They take a long-term view and gradually build on their success rather than focus on rapid results.”
Does body weight matter at all?
Although many experts agree that it’s better to be fit and fat than skinny and sedentary, achieving a healthy weight will probably give you additional benefits.
“Although being fit can help reduce the health risks of obesity, it does not fully eliminate them,” says Dr. Jo Ann Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Being active on most or all days of the week helps you create a healthy balance between the calories you take in and the energy you exert.
What’s the bottom line?
Don’t wait until you think you look good enough to be active. Many people feel more positive about their bodies when they’re active, even if they don’t see a big change in appearance. You’ll be doing your body a favor by moving now to start reducing your risk for disease. And since physical activity is a core component of weight-loss maintenance, you may find that you’re able to stay at a healthy weight as a result of getting out and moving more.
Sources
International Council on Active Aging. September 2004. Fitness vs. fatness: Results of studies stir debate. ICAA in the News. Volume 14, Issue 29. www.icaa.cc
Stenson, Jacqueline. November 4, 2003. Can you be both fit and fat? MSNBC Smart Fitness. www.msnbc.msn.com
Wessel, Timothy R., et al. 2004. Relationship of physical fitness vs. body mass index with coronary artery disease and cardiovascular events in women. Journal of the American Medical Association 292: 1179-1187. www.jama.ama-assn.org
Woolston, Chris. January 14, 2004. Fit and fat. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. www.bluprint.bluecrossmn.com
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