doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000161818.28974.1A
(Circulation. 2005;111:1904-1914.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.
Exercise Physiology |
Fatness Is a Better Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Profile Than Aerobic Fitness in Healthy Men
From the Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder (D.D.C., C.L.G., C.A.D., D.R.S., P.E.G.), and Department of Medicine, Divisions of Cardiology (D.R.S.) and Geriatric Medicine (C.A.D., D.R.S.), University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
Correspondence to Demetra D. Christou, PhD, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 354 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309. E-mail christou{at}colorado.edu
Received November 5, 2004; revision received January 11, 2005; accepted February 3, 2005.
Background— The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is partly attributable to an inactive and/or overweight population. However, the independent association of body fatness and aerobic fitness with CVD risk factors is uncertain. We sought to determine whether fatness or fitness better predicted traditional CVD risk factors in men with broad fatness, aerobic fitness, and age ranges using 3 expressions of adiposity.
Methods and Results— In 135 carefully screened healthy men, we measured 18 established CVD risk factors, body mass index, total percent body fat, waist circumference, and maximal aerobic capacity. Body mass index, percent body fat, and waist circumference were consistently associated with all metabolic risk factors (r=–0.44 to 0.51, P<0.05) after partialling out the effects of aerobic fitness and age. Body mass index and waist circumference were also independently associated with selective hemodynamic risk factors (r=0.20 to 0.30, P
0.01). In contrast, aerobic fitness was independently associated with only selective metabolic risk factors (r=–0.21 to 0.19, P<0.05) and was not associated with any hemodynamic risk factors (P>0.05). Both aerobic fitness and body fatness were independently associated with selective hemostatic risk factors (r=–0.22 to –0.26, P0.01; r=–0.32 to 0.48, P<0.05, respectively). Overall, fatness was more strongly and consistently associated with CVD risk factors than aerobic fitness.
Conclusions— Body fatness is a better predictor of CVD risk factor profile than aerobic fitness in healthy men. Although habitual physical activity is an effective strategy for preventing CVD, elevated body fatness is associated with an adverse CVD risk factor profile independently of aerobic fitness.
Key Words: blood pressure • fibrinolysis • exercise • obesity
Related Article:
Circulation 2005 111: 1865.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  V. Hainer, H. Toplak, and V. Stich Fat or Fit: What Is More Important? Diabetes Care, November 1, 2009; 32(suppl_2): S392 - S397. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. L. Jablonski, P. E. Gates, G. L. Pierce, and D. R. Seals Low dietary sodium intake is associated with enhanced vascular endothelial function in middle-aged and older adults with elevated systolic blood pressure Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease, October 1, 2009; 3(5): 347 - 356. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. L. Pierce, L. A. Lesniewski, B. R. Lawson, S. D. Beske, and D. R. Seals Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Activation Contributes to Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction via Oxidative Stress in Overweight/Obese Middle-Aged and Older Humans Circulation, March 10, 2009; 119(9): 1284 - 1292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Hamer and A. Steptoe Prospective study of physical fitness, adiposity, and inflammatory markers in healthy middle-aged men and women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2009; 89(1): 85 - 89. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. F. Zoeller JR Physical Activity and Obesity: Their Interaction and Implications for Disease Risk and the Role of Physical Activity in Healthy Weight Management American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, December 1, 2007; 1(6): 437 - 446. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. D. DuBose, J. C. Eisenmann, and J. E. Donnelly Aerobic Fitness Attenuates the Metabolic Syndrome Score in Normal-Weight, at-Risk-for-Overweight, and Overweight Children Pediatrics, November 1, 2007; 120(5): e1262 - e1268. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
U. Ekelund, P. W. Franks, S. Sharp, S. Brage, and N. J. Wareham Increase in Physical Activity Energy Expenditure Is Associated With Reduced Metabolic Risk Independent of Change in Fatness and Fitness Diabetes Care, August 1, 2007; 30(8): 2101 - 2106. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. J. Arsenault, D. Lachance, I. Lemieux, N. Almeras, A. Tremblay, C. Bouchard, L. Perusse, and J.-P. Despres Visceral Adipose Tissue Accumulation, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Features of the Metabolic Syndrome Arch Intern Med, July 23, 2007; 167(14): 1518 - 1525. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. E. Silver, S. D. Beske, D. D. Christou, A. J. Donato, K. L. Moreau, I. Eskurza, P. E. Gates, and D. R. Seals Overweight and Obese Humans Demonstrate Increased Vascular Endothelial NAD(P)H Oxidase-p47phox Expression and Evidence of Endothelial Oxidative Stress Circulation, February 6, 2007; 115(5): 627 - 637. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. O. Kiviniemi, A. Snapir, M. Saraste, J. O. Toikka, O. T. Raitakari, M. Ahotupa, J. J. Hartiala, M. Scheinin, and J. W. Koskenvuo Determinants of coronary flow velocity reserve in healthy young men Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 2006; 291(2): H564 - H569. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Mora, I-M. Lee, J. E. Buring, and P. M Ridker Association of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index With Novel and Traditional Cardiovascular Biomarkers in Women JAMA, March 22, 2006; 295(12): 1412 - 1419. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. B. Racette, E. M. Evans, E. P. Weiss, J. M. Hagberg, and J. O. Holloszy Abdominal adiposity is a stronger predictor of insulin resistance than fitness among 50-95 year olds. Diabetes Care, March 1, 2006; 29(3): 673 - 678. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. B. Andersen, S. A. Anderssen, B. Saltin, D. D. Christou, C. L. Gentile, C. A. DeSouza, D. R. Seals, and P. E. Gates Letter Regarding Article by Christou et al, "Fatness Is a Better Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Profile Than Aerobic Fitness in Healthy Men" * Response Circulation, October 4, 2005; 112(14): e253 - e254. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|