Impact of fitness and changes in fitness on lipids and survival.

In the past five decades, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has become fairly established as an important risk factor or marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as CVD - and all-cause mortality. Substantial evidence supports a strong inverse association between baseline levels of CRF and the risk of developing CVD risk factors, including dyslipidemia. Additionally, accumulating evidence also supports that maintaining or improving a certain level of CRF over time leads to a lower rate of developing CVD risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, and also improves survival. Recent evidence also supports the role of resistance exercise and muscular strength to reduce the development of metabolic syndrome and hypercholesterolemia and potentially reduce development of diabetes as well, in addition to improving survival. Therefore, great efforts are needed to increase both CRF and muscle strength with aerobic exercise and resistance exercise in the primary and secondary prevention of CVD.