Doctors routinely check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose values to make sure you have no problems that would increase your risk for early disease or mortality.
Another excellent predictive indicator is your aerobic capacity level or VO2 peak, but few people get tested for this or know their aerobic capacity. Aerobic capacity is a measure of peak cardiovascular fitness capacity, assessed in terms of maximal oxygen uptake – the ability of your lungs, heart, blood, and arteries to transport oxygen to all the muscle cells of your body for energy production. It can be easily measured with sophisticated tools while performing a treadmill test.
The value of knowing your aerobic capacity (VO2) peak is shown by a study of 5,721 healthy women, aged 35 and older, who took a treadmill test and then were followed up for 8 years to see the value of aerobic capacity as a predictor for survivability. Researchers determined average aerobic capacity based on test results for the group and adjusted for age. They found that women whose aerobic capacity was less than 85% of expected were twice as likely to die from any cause as women who were at least 85% of expected.
When they used fit women as the standard, women with average aerobic capacity were 1.7 times more likely to die from any cause, and low fit women (those with an aerobic capacity less than 85% of the expected, or average, aerobic capacity level) were 2.6 times more likely to die from any cause and 4.3 times more likely to die from coronary heart disease. Other studies of 5,000 men show nearly identical results.
Fit women had the lowest mortality rate.
Women with average fitness had a 1.7 times mortality rate.
Women with below average fitness had a 2.63 times higher mortality rate.
Similar results were seen with men.
As you can see from these results, aerobic capacity is a strong predictor of your future health and survival. Other studies in both men and women have found aerobic capacity to be a stronger predictor of future survival than blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, weight, and even smoking status. Yet it is seldom tested, although it is quite easy to do so.
Can you improve aerobic capacity? Yes, simply by engaging in regular exercise such as 30+ minutes of brisk walking or other moderate activity, 5 or more days per week. High fitness may require either higher intensity exercises such as walk-jogging for 30+ minutes, or a longer duration moderate activity such as 45-60 minutes of brisk walking most days. When first starting an exercise program, start at an easy level within your current capabilities and gradually increase your exercise time and intensity over weeks to reach your goals.
If you are interested in determining your aerobic capacity, preventing heart disease and improving your health you may want to consider having your VO2 measured. The test takes less than 1 hour to perform and is performed in our office.
Reference: Gulati M, Black HR, et al. The Prognostic Value of a Nomogram for Exercise Capacity in Women. New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;353:468-75. August 4, 2005. Wellsource. |
