Physical Activity News and Research

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Regular exercise boosts immune system in older men

As it turns out, judging by the reaction strength of their immune system to an unknown, but harmless, protein antigen, it’s possible for men over 70 to mount an immune response similar to that produced by much younger men -- if they get regular moderate physical activity of about six hours a week.

25 Aug 2004

Space theme tackles obesity and cholesterol levels in youngsters

A supplement entitled “Food and Fitness,” one of three educational guides for teachers produced by Baylor College of Medicine for the NSBRI, teaches middle school students about the importance of nutrition and exercise using intergalactic themes.

23 Aug 2004

Cholesterol guidelines advise more intensive treatment

Cardiologists at Temple University Hospital are working with area primary care physicians to help educate patients who are at moderate-to- high risk for heart attack about new guidelines for lowering cholesterol.

23 Aug 2004

Diabetes worldwide will continue to increase at record levels

The number of people with diabetes worldwide will continue to increase at record levels through 2030, with the greatest relative increase in prevalence expected in the Middle Eastern Crescent, sub-Saharan Africa and India, according to a study published in the May issue of Diabetes Care.

22 Aug 2004

Workplace obesity intervention programs can reach millions of people

Each year, millions of Americans struggle with obesity – a potentially deadly condition that puts them at a higher risk for numerous health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

18 Aug 2004

Walking to school doesn't have a major affect on overall physical activity in children

The proportion of children traveling to school by car in the United Kingdom almost doubled from 16% in 1986 to 30% in 1998. Not walking to school is perceived as a compromise to physical activity.

18 Aug 2004

Steps families take to minimize asthma triggers in the home are either wrong or ignored

Parents of children who suffer with asthma are making many efforts to clear their homes of substances that could trigger their child's symptoms, but the steps they take aren't always the ones that could do the most good, a new University of Michigan study finds. And many don't take other steps that are known to help.

17 Aug 2004

American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.3 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age

About 40 percent of adults ages 40 to 74 - or 41 million people - have pre-diabetes, a condition that raises a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

11 Aug 2004

No increased risk of heart attacks among snus/snuff users, unlike smokers

A collaborative study involving Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, and Umeå University in Sweden confirms that men who smoke run a substantial risk of developing diabetes. On the other hand, no parameters indicate that using snus (moist snuff) increases this risk.

9 Aug 2004

Parents, teens underestimating weight

Obese teenagers and their parents often underestimate their weight, making them less likely to seek help or adopt a healthier lifestyle, an RMIT University study has found.

6 Aug 2004

Moderate exercise helps beat fatigue from prostate radiation

Men who get a moderate amount of exercise during radiation for prostate cancer are better able to cope with the fatigue the treatment can cause, researchers from Scotland report in the journal Cancer.

5 Aug 2004

Atherosclerosis at menopause slowed by diet and exercise

Thickening of artery walls accelerates as women enter menopause, but these signs of the progression of atherosclerosis can be slowed by a lower-fat diet and increased physical activity, according to a new study in the Aug. 4, 2004, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

5 Aug 2004

Researchers study whether people’s genetic makeup could make them more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee and hip

Researchers at The University of Nottingham are studying whether people’s genetic makeup could make them more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee and hip — the most common medical condition to affect the joints.

3 Aug 2004

Children should be screened for high blood pressure at age 3

A new report from The National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on Children calls attention to the role of hypertension in the current epidemic of obesity in children, and underscores the need for intervention.

3 Aug 2004

Joint inflammation

Members of the baby boomer generation are beginning to reach their 50s and 60s and seniors are living longer than ever, causing a large influx of older men and women in our society.

2 Aug 2004

Importance of physical education in schools to combat childhood obesity

A University of Newcastle, Australia, academic has received a national award for his research into the importance of physical education in schools to combat childhood obesity.

29 Jul 2004

Women with a history of cancer in their family are better off having MRI scans instead of mammograms

New research by Mieke Kriege at the Department of Medical Oncology, Rotterdam Family Cancer Clinic suggests that women with a history of cancer in their family are better off having MRI scans instead of mammogram's.

28 Jul 2004

Traveling to and from work can reduce cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes

Research published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that moderate exercise can reduce cardiovascular disease deaths in people with type 2 diabetes, even if that activity comes from work or traveling to and from work.

26 Jul 2004

Children and adolescents who consistently watch television for 2 hours or more a day are at an increased risk of being overweight

Children and adolescents who consistently watch television for 2 hours or more a day are at an increased risk of being overweight, to smoke, and to have high cholesterol concentrations in early adulthood—substantial risk factors for long-term health problems in later life—conclude authors of a study from New Zealand in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

15 Jul 2004

Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), the most frequently performed surgical procedure among teenagers

The most frequently performed surgical procedure for this age group in 2003 was nose reshaping (rhinoplasty). Most experts agree that for appropriately selected teenage patients, cosmetic plastic surgery can have a positive impact on physical and emotional development.