Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the strongest modifiable factors for both how long we live, and how well we feel along the way.
In a recent podcast episode, Dr. Peter Attia points out that when you look at predictors of all-cause mortality, the risk of dying from any cause, fitness outperforms almost everything else: blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, smoking, and even chronological age.
Why?
Because fitness reflects how efficiently the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscles work together to deliver and use oxygen. The better this system performs, the greater our physiological reserve our body’s capacity to handle stressors like infections, surgery, illness, and the physical demands of everyday life.
A few key observations:
- People in the lowest 20–25% of the fitness distribution (here measured as VO₂ max) have a 4–5x higher risk of death than those at the top.
- Even moderate improvements have a huge impact: moving from low to average fitness can reduce mortality risk by 50–75%.
- You don’t need elite levels; what matters most is not being at the bottom.
Executive Health fully agrees with this message. Improved fitness (and strength) is among the most powerful tools we have to increase both lifespan and quality of life.
.png)
.png)
.png)
