Being fit is more important than being fat for women and heart disease

For women, being fat poses a lesser risk of heart disease than being unfit, says a recent study (JAMA 2004;292:1179-87). Many previous studies have shown that being overweight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, but few studies have examined the specific effect of physical activity and fitness. This recent study found that although the individual contributions of obesity and physical fitness to risk of coronary artery disease in women remain unclear, being inactive is a more useful predictor than body mass index of existing coronary disease and future adverse events such as congestive heart failure, unstable angina, and heart attack.

Researchers used …