This study evaluates whether physical activity protects against the adverse affects of high adiposity. This question was examined in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study which involved 185,412 men and women aged 51-72 years followed for 10 years. Overweight, obesity, an elevated waist circumference and low physical activity were all independent predictors of mortality. Compared to normal-weight physically active individuals, mortality risks were 1.62 (95% CI: 1.50-1.75) for sedentary normal-weight subjects, 1.79 (95% CI: 1.37-2.33) for active morbidly obese individuals and 3.45 (95% CI: 2.79-4.00) for sedentary morbidly obese persons. Respective mortality risks if waist circumference substitutes for body mass index were 1.61 (95% CI: 1.48-1.76), 1.44 (95% CI: 1.23-1.68) and 2.01 (95% CI: 1.74-2.32). Therefore, physical activity attenuated the increased mortality risk associated obesity or abdominal obesity but did not completely eliminate such risk.
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