Overweight but fit

I distinctly recall a rather heavy-set woman who used to teach aerobics at a gym I used to belong to. Even while her seemingly fitter students gasped for breath after the session, she seemed able to go another whole round.

This, according to Canadian researchers, is because it is very possible to be both fat and fit. A study on this matter, which was published in Archives of Internal Medicine, revealed that overweight men who exercised regularly had a reduced risk of heart disease. What's more, their engagement in regular fitness improved metabolic health, despite the fact that they carried excess weight.

It appears as though belly fat is the deciding factor. Most overweight, but physically active, people tended to have less abominal cavity fat than do heavy people that do not exercise at all. A large waist is directly related to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.