Measured Fitness Predicts Survival Better Than Self-Reports

People who move a lot and are physically fit die early less often. That holds for heart and blood vessel disease and for other causes of death, across many different populations. A review in a heart medicine journal pulls this research together. One point stands out: measured endurance fitness usually predicts risk better than what people report about their own activity.

The authors describe a dose effect, with more activity linked to more benefit. The type and intensity of activity also matter. Possible pathways include blood pressure, blood sugar, body fat, blood vessels and inflammation. Keeping muscle and the cell's power plants in good shape plays a part too. For endurance athletes who train at extreme levels, the authors separate the risk of dying from other risks. These include atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder, and faster calcium buildup in the heart's arteries.

This is an invited review without a systematic search for studies. The authors themselves note that observational data struggle to separate cause and effect. People who are ill may move less, rather than becoming ill from moving less. Their conclusion for doctors is to track fitness like a vital sign and include strength training.