Being Fit Isn't Enough

Over the last few years, a growing body of research (but by no means widely accepted) has found that it is possible to be both fit and fat. [Source]

Wishful thinking, says a new Harvard study of 39,000 women. It’s findings:

“Compared with normal-weight active women, the risk for developing heart disease was 54 percent higher in overweight active women and 87 percent higher in obese active women. By contrast, it was 88 percent higher in overweight inactive women; and 2 1/2 times greater in obese inactive women.” (Emphasis mine.)

“Physical activity really does make an impact,” said lead author Dr. Amy Weinstein of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

But, as stressed by Dr. Martha Gulati, a heart specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, while being physically active is important, “Weight still matters.”

This point is underscored by Dr. Weinstein: “If you’re overweight or obese, you can’t really get back to that lower risk entirely with just physical activity alone.”

No dessert for me, tonight.

Play, think…
J.R. Atwood

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