Heart Fitness: One of the Best Indicators of Health

Starting on our twenties, we lose ten percent of our cardiovascular fitness every decade. This is because our bodies become less efficient as we get older.

The good news is, according to research, exercise can slow down the process of aging. People who are in shape decrease their risk of mortality by up to twenty-five percent.

Cardiovascular fitness is one of the best ways to see the overall health in a person. It's a better indicator than smoking, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

From Ball State University:

"However, despite the fact that low cardiovascular fitness is one of the most important determinates of health outcomes, it is often neglected in favor of risk markers more familiar to more clinicians who are likely to focus on conditions treatable with drugs or invasive procedures," - Leonard Kaminsky, director for Wellness and Gerontology at Ball State University

The study looked at the treadmill tests of 7,800 healthy participants and will be published in the November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.