Cardiovascular Fitness as a Predictor of Mortality in Men

Abstract
PHYSICAL INACTIVITY, as measured objectively by low cardiorespiratory fitness, has been estimated to account for 12% of all deaths in the United States.1 Thus, it is considered to be one of the most crucial public health problems. Low cardiorespiratory fitness2-9 has consistently been associated with an increased risk of premature death in prospective population-based studies. This has been mainly due to reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD)–related mortality,2,4,5 but also to some extent to reduced cancer-related mortality,4 in fit individuals. Indeed, low cardiorespiratory fitness has been found to be as strong a predictor of mortality as the conventional modifiable risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension.7,9