Going for a brisk walk or bike ride each day protect against a heart attack, stroke and cancer – even for the obese and overweight, according to the first study of its kind.
A study of more than 10,000 people found poor fitness was linked to higher levels of inflammation as well as bigger waists – irrespective of body mass index (BMI).
Inflammation is known to play a role in all the major killer diseases, including cancer and dementia.
Having excess fat in the abdominal area – also known as visceral fat – has been linked to heart failure and type 2 diabetes.
The findings therefore suggest large people who struggle to lose weight can still offset some of the risks of their size by reducing their harmful belly fat and low-grade inflammation through daily physical activity.
Going for a brisk daily walk or cycle ride helps protect against a heart attack, stroke and cancer – even for obese and overweight people, research has found (stock image)
One in four adults in the UK are overweight or wedeqq obese – while one in three adults living in the US are, according to statistics.
How the research was carried out
In the first research of its kind, scientists from Copenhagen University in Denmark analysed data collected on 10,976 men and women 18 or over from The Danish National Health Examination Survey 2007-2008.
They measured the waists of participants and took blood samples to measure a substance called C-Reactive Protein (CRP).
This rises when the body is fighting an infection for instance – indicating inflammation.
To assess fitness, maximum oxygen consumption, called VO2 max, was measured using an instrument called an ergometer that calculates heart and lung function.
VO2 max is a measure of aerobic capacity and the higher the figure, the more physically fit a person is.
The findings held after they took into account age, smoking history, education and – ‘most importantly’ – BMI.
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