The predictive value of cardiorespiratory fitness

This editorial refers to "The predictive value of cardiorespiratory fitness for cardiovascular events in men with various risk profiles: a prospective population-based cohort study"† by J.A. Laukkanen et al. on page 1428More than 2000 years ago our cultural roots point to a rather active role of the school system in promoting greater activity in play and competition. The old Greek gymnasium considered exercise and physical activity to be at least as important as intellectual education.Today the myth of everlasting youth, beauty, happiness and freedom of disease is, more than ever, a part of the lifestyle and identity of the western world. Fitness is one of its artificial parts, being achieved mainly by training, through sportive indoor and outdoor activity and resembling the exercise capacity that was formerly acquired by activities necessary to cope with everyday life. Fitness training has become a well-established part of wellness and providing outfits for training is a growing industry. Thus, the importance of fitness in health and disease is also an important issue in our health system.The role of exercise for health has been investigated in numerous studies and surveys and the association of coronary artery disease and sedentary lifestyle has stimulated recommendations from many societies including the American Heart Association,1 the American College of Cardiology,2 the centres for disease control3 and the NIH4 to recommend regular aerobic exercise. Without doubt, a more sedentary lifestyle … *Correspondence to: Franz X. Kleber, Professor of Medicine, Charite Medical School, Director, Department of Internal Medicine, Ukb Academic Teaching Hospital, Warener Strase 7, D-12683 Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49-305681-3601; fax: +49-305681-3603 (E-mail: fxkleber{at}ukb.de).