Fitness and Fatness Independently Linked With CVD Risk Factors

But the problems are: exercise will not lead to increased fitness and absent anabolic substances, it is very, very difficult, nigh impossible, to get anaerobically fitter age 40 and beyond.

Maintaining or improving current fitness levels, as well as not packing on the fat pounds, are both independently associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and hypercholesterolemia in healthy adults, research shows.

"We know that people who exercise will lose weight and improve their fitness, but in the real world, some people don't lose weight even though they might gain some fitness," Dr Duck-chul Lee (University of South Carolina, Columbia) told heartwire . "Some of these people might stop exercising because they expected to lose weight and haven't, but this study shows that they should also be aware about their changes in fitness. Even though they don't lose weight, if they increase their fitness, they can offset some of the negative effects of being overweight."

To learn how to train and get fitter, see here, here, here and here.