Evaluation of the influence of cardiorespiratory fitness on diverse healthrisk factors, independent of waist circumference, in 40-year-old Flemish males

Objective: To examine whether cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with health risk factors, independent of abdominal obesity (waist circumference) . Research Methods and Procedures: Data from 141 40-year-old Flemish male sub jects were used in a cross-sectional design. The main outcome measure in th is study was the health risk profile, composed of lipid parameters, blood p ressure, and body composition parameters. Data were analyzed by regression analysis and by means of analysis of covariance with waist circumference CN C) as covariate and cardiorespiratory fitness as source of variance. Results: The data demonstrated that cardiorespiratory fitness was significa ntly associated with triglycerides, with the ratio of total cholesterol/ser um high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and with percent body fat, indepen dent of an association with WC. Discussion: Major findings of the present cross-sectional study indicate th at a high WC is associated with adverse health-related lipid profile and bo dy composition characteristics and that relatively high levels of aerobic f itness attenuate the health risk associated with a large WC.