I think the same thing applies to some biomarkers; cholesterol, for one.

Cholesterol is an accepted biomarker for stroke & heart disease. Thus, Big Pharma can "prove" that lowering your cholesterol by M is worth N.n years on your life. Therefore, take our statins. Daily. Forever.

I'm not buying it. That's optimizing the measure. "Exercise more & lose weight" is thought impossible for the average person, or at least, unlikely to be heeded, so give them a statin instead.