NFL: Activity May Offset CV Risk from King-Size Bodies

Size matters?

"Despite their larger size, National Football League players had roughly the same cardiovascular risk as the general population in a multiteam study.

Although they had a higher risk of hypertension and prehypertension than other men their age, NFL players had a lower prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and comparable levels of cholesterol."

No. Fitness matters.

"'Vigorous physical activity appears to significantly decrease the effect of size on cardiovascular risk,' Dr. Tucker and colleagues concluded."

Yep. An important point.

"The researchers found that the NFL players were taller and heavier -- about 30 kg (66 pounds) on average -- than the CARDIA group.

Despite their size, the NFL group had lower mean fasting glucose compared with the CARDIA group (P<0.001)."

They expected the following since they have no idea what is really important:

"'We sort of expected that the largest athletes -- the offensive, defensive linemen -- would compare not so favorably to the general population with respect to glucose and cholesterol,' Dr. Tucker said. 'In fact, our larger athletes, as well as the average NFL player, compare better than the average American with respect to glucose and lipids.'"

Train.