Weight loss drugs & health
Given the rise in use of weight loss drugs, it’s never been more important to remind people that… Fitness is a better predictor of health than body fat.
I feel it’s important to stress this point.
You can’t just diet your way to health. You can’t be healthy without exercise.
Fitness is a better predictor of health than BMI.
We’ve known this for decades.
If you need some proof:
Cardiorespiratory Fitness vs BMI & Mortality:
A meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2024) concluded that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) consistently predicts lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death, regardless of BMI.
Fit individuals—whether normal, overweight, or obese—had similar mortality risks.
Unfit individuals faced a 2–3× higher risk of death, regardless of weight
Cardiorespiratory Fitness, BMI & Cardiovascular Outcomes
A clinical study found that each standard deviation increase in fitness was linked to a 30% reduction in all-cause mortality and a 55% reduction in cardiovascular deaths.
Adjusting for BMI didn’t change these strong associations .
Fitness Over Weight-Loss Programs
Research published in iScience (2021) showed that improving physical fitness lowers mortality and heart disease risk, even without weight loss.
Weight-loss interventions didn’t consistently reduce mortality, but increased fitness did
The “Fat but Fit” Paradox
Another review highlighted that fit obese people had similar survival rates as fit individuals of normal weight.
Being fit consistently outweighed BMI's predictive value on longevity
Why This Matters
In a world where you can now take a drug to lose weight it’s important to realise that doing that alone is not enough - fitness is more important than body fat.
To be clear here - both are important and GLP-1 drugs are life changing (and saving) for so many people. If these drugs are the right option for your weight loss make sure you are exercising too!
And if you need some help - click here I would love to help you get as fit and healthy as possible (whether you’re using weight loss drugs or not)