It really does pay to be fit, with the dividend being extra years of life. University of South Carolina scientists report that men who scored high in cardiovascular fitness in their 40s and stayed that way were 30% less likely to die over the next 11 years than their unfit peers. Men who improved their fitness levels fared even better, with a 40% lower risk of death from all causes. The study of 14,345 men used a treadmill and measured fitness by units called metabolic equivalents (METs), which track the amount of oxygen the body uses during physical activity. For every 1-MET improvement in fitness, risk of death from all causes dropped 15% and risk of cardiovascular death was reduced by 19%.
TO LEARN MORE: Circulation, Dec. 6, 2011; abstract at circ.ahajournals.org/content/124/23/2483.