Poor fitness levels in early adulthood linked with cardiovascular disease and future death

The researchers also found that every one minute reduction in fitness by the seventh year was linked with a 21 percent increased risk of death and a 20 percent increase of cardiovascular disease. The researchers wrote, “The finding that fitness is related to development of subclinical changes in myocardial structure and function, but not CAC, sheds light on potential mechanistic benefits of exercise in youth not captured by [coronary artery calcification].”