[connectthedots]

I think Jim Fixx had a family history of heart disease.

[hobbes1]

Yup. Jogging guru Jim Fixx dies early due to...Heart Disease. Yet Keith Richards is still going Strong.

The Conclusion Should Be obvious.

[willieroe]

Fixx's father died in his early 30's from genetic heart disease. As a result of Jim's running, Jim enjoyed a full life for another 12-15 years beyond what his father had lived. Jim's reluctance to visit doctors, probably as a result of the trauma from his father's death, is the prime reason why he suffered his fatal heart attack.