title: Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with lower abdominal fat independent of body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether, for a given body mass index (BMI), men with high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) have lower waist circumference (WC) and less total abdominal, abdominal subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue (AT) compared with men with low CRF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were categorized into HIGH CRF (N = 169) and LOW CRF (N = 124) groups based on age and CRF measured using a maximal treadmill test. Total abdominal, abdominal subcutaneous and visceral AT were measured by computerized tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For a given BMI, men in the HIGH CRF group had significantly lower WC (P < 0.001), total abdominal (P < 0.001), visceral AT (P < 0.001), and abdominal subcutaneous AT (P < 0.001) compared with men in the LOW CRF group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the ability of CRF to attenuate the health risks associated with BMI may be partially mediated through a reduction in abdominal AT. Accordingly, our observations reinforce the importance of regular physical activity in the prevention and reduction of obesity-related health risk independent of a corresponding reduction in body weight.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical and Health Education, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
authors.forename: Suzy L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: PeterT
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katzmarzyk
authors.forename: Milton Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Nichaman
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: Steven N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*