A 2018 JAMA study of 122,000 adults found VO2 max was as strong a predictor of mortality as smoking or diabetes. It's also one of the most improvable numbers.
VO2 max reflects heart, lung, and mitochondrial capacity — the plumbing that keeps everything running.
Moving from "below average" to "above average" cut mortality risk by ~60% in that JAMA cohort.
Two zone-2 cardio sessions (30–60 min at conversational pace) plus one weekly higher-intensity session (4×4 intervals). Combines with strength training.
Pair training with a realistic calorie target.
Calorie / TDEE Calculator →
BMI can label muscular athletes as overweight or obese. Here's when BMI misses the mark and what to use instead.
The clearest waist guideline for women, based on the NHS and Ashwell Waist-to-Height ratio — no charts, just one rule.
How age changes your healthy weight range, and the simple WHO/CDC formula that answers "how much should I weigh?".