It showed that obesity was a significant predictor of CVD, particularly

among women. It also showed that weight gain in the young adult years

produced an increased risk for CVD in both men and women. Some of the

most interesting studies that show obesity itself cause an increase in the risk

of CVD come from examining the hearts of obese people. The confusion

that can occur in a discussion of obesity and CVD relates to the fact that

poor fitness also increases the risk of CVD. Since poor fitness can often

result in obesity, it is assumed by some that fitness is the overriding issue,

and the association between CVD and obesity is, in reality, simply the

association between poor fitness and CVD. Of course, unfit men as a whole

were significantly more likely to die of CVD than fit men. Thus, even

though a lack of fitness is clearly a risk factor for CVD, once fitness is taken

into account, obesity still plays a role. In fact, the authors conclude that a

lack of fitness represented only 39% of the CVD risk in obese men. A lack

of fitness adds to overweight and obesity. In other words, fitness and obesity

are independent risk factors.

Active men with high BMI had a 35% higher CVD hazard ratio than active

men with low BMI. Of course, the active men and women all had lower

CVD hazard ratios than the inactive men and women. This, of course, tells
us that obesity and physical inactivity are both independent risk factors for

CVD. This is why the authors note, “In conclusion, our study confirmed

that both physical inactivity and obesity are important risk factors for CVD.”

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.”

As you can see, then, obesity is an independent risk factor for CVD.