Fat & fit

New research suggests people who keep fit counter some of the ill effects of weight gain.

Losing fitness or packing on fat with age can both be bad for the heart - but avoiding either one of those fates may protect the ticker, a study published on Monday suggests. US researchers found that of more than 3,100 healthy adults they followed, those who improved - or simply maintained - their fitness levels were less likely to develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other well-established heart disease risk factors. Similarly, people who maintained their weight had fewer of those red flags than people who became heavier over time. That may sound logical, but part of what's new in the findings, researchers say, is that changes in fitness and "fatness" each appeared important on their own.

In general, people who kept their fitness levels over time seemed to counter some of the ill effects of weight gain. And dips in fitness levels weren't as bad if a person lost some excess body fat.