There was an article not too recently with a headline something like "Verdict on Fat and Fit mixed" or something like that, because two studies had come out about the same time, one saying that fat people who got regular exercise had about the same heart health as thinner folks, but then another article saying that weight control was better than just exercise with no weight loss for controlling diabetes.
However, I know of other studies done where obese folks were put on a food and exercise plan and improved their insulin sensitivity without losing very much or any weight; in one study, average weight loss was on the order of 5-6 pounds and some didn't lose any weight at all, but all improved blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and other measures of health.
The one health condition I think there's a fairly good reason to believe that it IS causation rather than correlation is in joint issues; more weight on the joints, more joint problems. However, since overweight people often have, for instance, arthritis in the wrists as well, it doesn't seem like 100 percent can be blamed on the weight, either.
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However, I know of other studies done where obese folks were put on a food and exercise plan and improved their insulin sensitivity without losing very much or any weight; in one study, average weight loss was on the order of 5-6 pounds and some didn't lose any weight at all, but all improved blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and other measures of health.
The one health condition I think there's a fairly good reason to believe that it IS causation rather than correlation is in joint issues; more weight on the joints, more joint problems. However, since overweight people often have, for instance, arthritis in the wrists as well, it doesn't seem like 100 percent can be blamed on the weight, either.