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Better Fit Than ThinThe perennial question is whether it is better to be fit or thin?"You can be fit and fat and it is better than being skinny and desk-bound". Researchers have produced strong evidence in support of this claim. Consider some of their findings:
Obese men who didn’t work out had death rates two to three times those of the normal-weight men. Thus, exercise offered substantial protection even to very heavy men. However, these findings haven’t convinced everyone. US authorities have changed the definition of a healthy weight thereby reclassifying 29 million additional Americans as both overweight and unhealthy. They concluded that carrying excess pounds raises a person's risk of heart disease, diabetes, and numerous other ailments. But some have argued there is a crucial flaw in most of the studies from which the conclusion was drawn that "you can’t be fit and fat". Many overweight people are indeed at greater risk of chronic disease. But most studies that have pointed to weight as a culprit in these ailments have not factored in physical fitness. Without a way to separate overweight people who are fit from those who are not, the conclusions can be misleading. The Happy MediumGenerally, most people who are fat may not be fit. That's why most doctors would continue to urge their patients to lose weight :
Regardless of inherited tendencies, size, or shape, doctors agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle remains the single most important advice they can give to their patients. In addition to regular exercise, doctors encourage their patients to eat healthful foods and to change unhealthy habits, such as cigarette smoking. Along with the body mass index (BMI), the following factors are indicators of better health :
Being fit makes you feel better and improves the quality of life. That is what matters. 9/08/03
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