Review: Mortality trends in the general population: the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness
Open accessAbstract
Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is not only an objective measure of habitual physical activity, but also a useful diagnostic and prognostic health indicator for patients in clinical settings. Although compelling evidence has shown that CRF is a strong and independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, the importance of CRF is often overlooked from a clinical perspective compared with other risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, or obesity. Several prospective studies indicate that CRF is at least as important as the traditional risk factors, and is often more strongly associated with mortality. In addition, previous studies report that CRF appears to attenuate the increased risk of death associated with obesity. Most individuals can improve their CRF through regular physical activity. Several biological mechanisms suggest that CRF improves insulin sensitivity, blood lipid profile, body composition, inflammation, and blood pressure. Based on the evidence, health professionals should encourage their patients to improve CRF through regular physical activity.
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Men unfit at both assessments had the greatest death risk; those fit at both had the least.
“Men who were unfit at both visits had the highest death risk while men who were fit at both visits had the lowest death risk.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
The second-lowest CRF quintile had 26% higher all-cause death risk in men and 28% higher in women than the highest quintile.
“Likewise comparing the highest CRF quintile) to the second lowest increased all-cause death risk by 26% and 28% in men and women, respectively.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
Strong evidence links lower CRF to higher death rates in both sexes, even after accounting for other risk factors.
“Convincing evidence exists that lower CRF is associated with increased mortality in both men and women, independently of other risk factors (79, 96, 277, 312, 313).”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
Becoming unfit between assessments raised death risk in men.
“Fit-who-became-unfit between assessments had an increased risk of death.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
Men whose fitness changed between assessments had death risk between the consistently fit and consistently unfit groups.
“men who changed fitness status between the two CRF assessments had intermediate risk of death between the fit-that-stayed-fit group and unfit-who-stayed-unfit group.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
Men who were unfit but became fit lowered their death risk.
“Unfit-men who-became-fit between CRF assessments decreased their risk of death.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
In a prospective study of 40,451 men and 12,831 women, the lowest CRF quintile had 39% and 67% higher all-cause death risk than the second-lowest quintile, respectively.
“When CRF in the second lowest CRF quintile is compared to the lowest quantile, the risk of all-cause death in the lowest CRF quantile is increased by 39% and 67% in a prospective study of 40,451 men and 12,831 women, respectively (312)”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
Men in the lowest CRF quintile had 75% higher all-cause death risk than the top quintile; women had 113% higher risk.
“Thus, comparing the top quintile to the lowest quintile increased all-cause death risk by 75% and 113% in men and women, respectively.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [312]
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- Authors
- Lee, D.-C., Artero, E. G., Sui, X., & Blair, S. N.
- Affiliations
- University of South Carolina (US)
- Universidad de Granada (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Lee, Duck-chul
- Venue
- Journal of Psychopharmacology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-10-05
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4_suppl
- Pages
- 27-35
- ISSN
- 0269-8811 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7285
- PMC
- PMC2951585
- OpenAlex
- W2074556602
- Cited by
- 628
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 57 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 41 · 2015: 39 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 38 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 6.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Scholar Commons (University of South Carolina) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Coca-Cola Foundation
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise
- Keywords
- cardiorespiratory fitness, mortality, cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, physical activity, obesity, cardiovascular risk factors, insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, inflammation, blood pressure, body composition
- MeSH terms
- Cardiovascular Diseases, Female, Humans, Male, Mortality, Motor Activity, Obesity, Physical Fitness, Risk Factors, Biomarkers
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