Does Being Healthy Mean I Am Also Fit?

1. What You Hear
  • Being thin or at a "normal" weight means you’re fit.
  • "Good" health markers like cholesterol and blood pressure are all you need to be considered fit.
  • If your doctor says you’re healthy, you don’t need to worry about fitness.
  • Health and fitness mean the same thing.
  • You can’t be fit if you have a chronic health condition.
2. What The Science Says
  • Research shows health and fitness are related but different concepts.
  • High fitness (strength, endurance, aerobic capacity) predicts better health outcomes and lower mortality—even more strongly than basic health markers or body weight alone.​
  • Physical activity interventions improve both physical and mental health, but effects on fitness (like aerobic capacity or strength) can be greater than effects on body size or cholesterol.​
  • You can be "healthy"—meaning absence of disease or normal lab results—but still lack fitness if you don’t have strength, endurance, or functional capacity.
  • Fitness is not only about appearance: it’s about how well your body can perform physical tasks and adapt to stress.​
3. What's the Difference Between Health and Fitness?
  • Health: State of being free from illness or disease; normal daily functions; balanced markers (cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, etc.).
  • Fitness: Having strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory capacity to perform work, daily activities, and respond to physical demands.
  • People can be healthy (normal labs, no disease) but not fit (weak, poor stamina, limited mobility).
  • High fitness can exist even with chronic health conditions and is linked to improved quality of life, mental health, and reduced mortality risk.
4. What You Should Probably Do 
  • Don’t rely only on health check-ups or weight; aim to build and maintain fitness through regular exercise.
  • Include aerobic, resistance, mobility, and balance activities each week.
  • Track progress toward fitness goals, not just health numbers.
  • Remember: You can be healthy but still not fit for activity or sport. Aim for both.
  • Small, regular steps—like walking more, strength training, and flexibility—improve fitness and long-term health.
5. Where Everything You Read Above Came From
  • Singh B, et al. Effectiveness of e- and m-Health interventions to improve physical activity and related health behaviors: Umbrella review and meta-meta-analysis. npj Digital Medicine. 2024;7:90. DOI:10.1038/s41746-024-01172-y.
  • Warburton DER, et al. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ. 2006;174(6):801-809. DOI:10.1503/cmaj.051351.
  • Hassan J, et al. Effectiveness of physical activity programmes on mental and physical health: Systematic review. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2022;29(4):492-503. DOI:10.1111/jpm.12832.
  • Cikirikci EHK, et al. Effectiveness of ML-based lifestyle interventions for health and fitness: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2025 May; DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.04.003.
  • Iwon K, et al. Elevating Subjective Well-Being Through Physical Exercises: Longitudinal Study. Front Psychol. 2021;12:702678. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.702678.
  • Posadzki P, et al. Exercise/physical activity and health outcomes: Overview of Cochrane systematic reviews. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 May; DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD011798.pub3.
  • Wearable Activity Tracker Network Meta-Analysis Group. Comparing effectiveness of wearable activity tracker-based interventions: Network meta-analysis. Digital Health. 2024;10:20552076241239182. DOI:10.1177/20552076241239182.
  • Bird SR, et al. Physical Activity for Health and Fitness: Past, Present and Future. Sports Med Health Sci. 2022;4(1):1-9. DOI:10.1016/j.smhs.2022.01.001.