Washington, Dec. 24 (PTI): Physical activity can offset some of the harmful health consequences of being overweight but cannot fully remove them, according to the biggest study ever conducted to examine the relative benefits of being fit versus being fat.

The study of more than 1,15,000 female nurses found that weight and activity levels are both powerful predictors of longevity, and that being either overweight or sedentary independently increases the risk of death.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the healthiest people are both thin and physically active.