We live in a society that seems obsessed with being thin. Everyday we hear about the latest diet and the quickest ways to get thin. The media is obsessed with super thin people. You rarely see an overweight or even average weight girl on the cover of Vogue or Cosmopolitan. We are led to believe that the very thin girl or boy is the picture of health. Fortunately for us, being super thin doesn’t necessarily mean being fit and healthy and there is a new study that confirms it.
Researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Tufts University recently did a study that found an association between physical fitness, body fat percentage and certain metabolic risk factors that are precursors to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. The data for the study was collected from 564 male and female students who enrolled in the Tufts Longitudinal Health Study. The study tracked health and health related behaviors in college students. The researchers tracked four markers of metabolic health including, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose levels in relation to body fat and physical fitness.
The results of the study, which are published in the June issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, were very interesting and shed light on the fact that it is not always healthy to just be very thin. The authors found that physical fitness appeared to have a greater impact on the metabolic risk factors then body fat. This may mean that even if your body fat is above the desired percentage, you can stay healthy if you exercise regularly!
Of course, being overweight or obese is not ideal. However, striving to be super thin is not healthy either. Aim for a happy medium. Keep your body fat somewhere close to desired or even a little above, but keep exercising. In the study, physical fitness was associated with lower blood glucose levels and higher HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). As we age, it is very important to continue to exercise and stay fit. Staying fit can help you stave off certain conditions and diseases.
As I always say, if you don’t currently exercise, start slowly. Just get up and take a walk. Walking for 30 minutes on most days is highly recommended. When you have mastered walking, move on to some aerobics classes, dance classes or even work out with a personal trainer. Stay focused on the goal of being fit instead of being super thin and you will feel happier and healthier!
- Jennifer
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Labels: Exercise, Jennifer, Recent Research
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