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Comment by small_model | Hacker News Reader

Would a stressed out Amazon/Uber eats delivery person who is very fit from working 10 hours a day, but with barely enough money to feed their family going to be less angry/anxious than a rich person lounging at his villa with zero worries? This is looking at one variable which isn't very useful.

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> This is looking at one variable which isn't very useful.

It’s a core part of the scientific process: “All else being equal…”

It's not though unless they cloned the humans and put them in a lab for 50 years.

That's exactly why you control for other variables

working != working out

if you don't believe me, take one look at a construction site and the workers on it.

Diet is the main driver of obesity, not exercise. These folks are often in great shape under a layer of fat.

More apropos, have you ever met an anxious construction worker? I haven’t.

I renovated my house over the course of two years, so I've had a lot of close contact with tradespeople. Carpenters, demo, electricians, hvac, plasterers... the young guys are ok and buckstrong. By the time they're in their 40s, you can tell the work is rough on them.

Having muscle is only one dimension of fitness. You're entirely neglecting cardiovascular health, which is a better predictor of longevity.

But the article mentions cardiorespiratory fitness, not working out vs working.

My point is that physical labor won't grant you cardio fitness.

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