Study Shows You're Not Exercising

A new study documents what -- really -- we already know: the average middle aged person is less fit, fatter, and less healthy than when they were younger.

After tracking almost 2,300 people over twenty years, researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research found -- to no one's surprise:

• lower fitness was directly associated with weight gains
• physical activity was linked to fitness level

Lower fitness levels and obesity are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and related deaths.

The survey was presented last week at the American Heart Association's Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Earlier research found that regular, moderately vigorous activity reduced the risk of death 23% in a given period of time among men 45+. Another study found that "Physical fitness appears to be a ... long-term predictor of mortality from cardiovascular causes in healthy, middle-aged men. A high level of fitness was also associated with lower mortality from any cause."

---
The American Heart Association has a FAQ on "Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health" here.