Many football players qualify as obese, yet a recent study of players, funded by the National Football League (NFL), found that they have cholesterol levels similar to those of nonplaying men and healthier glucose levels. What's more, black players show no higher risk of heart disease than white players do, even though black men in the general population have a much higher rate than whites. However, NFL players do have higher rates of hypertension. It's probably the players' level of physical activity that keeps them well. Once they retire, their health worsens.