Ekblom-Bak E, Ekblom B, Söderling J, et al. - Among participants (n = 266.109; 47% women, 18–74 years) without cardiovascular disease (CVD) from occupational health service screenings in 1995–2015, researchers examined gender- and age-specific links between cardiorespiratory fitness, all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and CVD morbidity. They used a submaximal cycle test to determine cardiorespiratory fitness as estimated maximal oxygen consumption (estVO₂max). Higher all-cause mortality and CVD morbidity incidence rates were reported in correlation with male gender, higher age and lower estVO₂max. There was a greater association of CVD specific death with estVO₂max vs tumor specific mortality. With no significant gender-variations, reduction in the risk for all-cause mortality and CVD morbidity by 2.3% and 2.6%, respectively, was noted in correlation with per increase in 1 ml·min⁻¹·kg⁻¹, but the more pronounced risk of all-cause mortality was reported in the three lower estVO₂max categories (9.1%, 3.8% and 3.3%, respectively). Both men and women of all age-groups who were examined in this large cohort study exhibited an inverse association of CVD morbidity and all-cause mortality with estVO₂max. Increasing cardiorespiratory fitness was clearly viewed as a public health priority.