Fitness expert Katie Gormley wades into the fit versus fat debate
Gossip magazines would have us believe that in order to be fit you must be thin (not to mention have a dashingly good-looking partner and the latest gym gear). However, the thin and fit debate does throw up some tricky questions.
What does fitness mean?
My favourite definition of fitness is that of physiotherapist Christopher Norris. He says: 'It's all about the S factors: Stamina, Suppleness, Strength, Speed, Skill, Specify (what you need to be fit for) and Spirit.'
The focus is on having the ability to carry out functions well. The reason I like this definition so much is that it relates to fitness in more life-enhancing terms rather than simply pointing to firm muscles and low body fat. Nothing in it relates directly to body size.
What do we mean by fat?
According to the BMI (Body Mass Index) calculations, the whole of the English national rugby team is obese. Joining them in this category are other obese figures such as Brad Pitt and Russell Crowe. But before you start wishing that your boyfriend was obese I need to clarify something: BMI is calculated using only weight and height. It is a useful tool but it does not provide the whole picture.Body fat percentage or composition provides a very useful indication. Official guidelines specify that less that 18 per cent for men and less than 23 per cent for women are ideals. Once men are pushing over 35 per cent and women 40 per cent they are creeping into the danger zone of obesity. I think Brad's body fat is probably about 7 per cent, so no danger for him.
The best way to get your body fat measured is by a fitness professional or doctor. Although there are some very funky electrical devices, the best method is using fat callipers, which look scary but really aren't and are the most efficient way of getting an accurate reading.
In addition to these two methods it is now common practise to look at girth as a health indicator. As already specified, if you are fit, with a good amount of muscle you can be classified as obese on the BMI scale. However, if you are fit you are unlikely to be very heavy around the waist. A waist measurement of over 37 inches for men and 31½ inches for women is considered to be entering the risk zone. Over 40 inches for men and 34½ inches for women is considered obese.
Taking all three of these indicators into account is truly the best way to determine fat.
So can you be fit and fat?
The short answer to this is 'yes'. Vanessa Feltz, one of our few larger celebrities, is a regular gym attendee who still maintains a large size. Comparatively, Kate Moss is well documented to do no exercise and yet maintains one of the thinnest frames in modelling. Such a comparison illustrates how size alone is not an indicator of fitness and health. Although the magazines might like to make us believe we ought to be a size 8, in the real world we are all different shapes and sizes.
Some body types will never mould themselves into the frame of a supermodel regardless of exercise and diet regime. In addition, it is an error to assume that just because somebody is big that they are out of shape and just because somebody is small they are fit.
The Cooper Institute stands at the forefront of the fit versus fat debate. They turned the weight issue on its head with research findings that clearly showed men and women with a good fitness level lived longer than those who were unfit, regardless of weight and BMI. Looking specifically at women's health, the institute found that out of 9,925 patients at the Cooper Clinic, moderately fit women of all weights averaged a 48 per cent lower risk of dying prematurely (from all causes) than their unfit equivalents.
While this information may seem to be indicating that we'd best be reaching for the biscuit tin and putting on a few pounds, this is not the case either.
In terms of longevity of life and health, fitness is arguably more important. However, somebody with a BMI of over 40 is unlikely to be fit. Once an individual is over a certain size it becomes very difficult for them to perform the necessary movements to be active. In addition to this, being overweight or obese often does go hand in hand with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. But by becoming just a bit fitter, a person can massively reduce their chances of contracting such illnesses.
So can you fit and fat? Definitely.
Can you be thin and unfit? Without doubt.
It's better to be fat and fit than thin and idle, but the perfect combination is, unsurprisingly, to be both lean and active. Just like Brad, in fact.