If your goal is to live a long, healthy life, is it more important to exercise or maintain an ideal weight?

A study recently published in the online journal, iScience, says the answer is exercise.

Researchers analyzed hundreds of previous studies and found obese people typically reduce their risks of heart disease and premature death far more by improving their physical fitness than by losing weight or dieting.

The New York Times reports the review adds to "mounting evidence that most of us can be healthy at any weight, if we're also active enough."

Even though other recent studies have found that exercise probably burns a lot fewer calories than previously thought because of how our metabolism works, that doesn't mean it can't work wonders for our bodies.

The researchers who published the iScience review say they looked at more than 200 studies and found obese men and women who improved their fitness through exercise lowered their risk of premature death by as much as 30% or more, compared to those who lost weight through dieting.

They reduced their risk of dying by about 16% some studies and none in others.