Physical Activity News and Research

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Childhood obesity prevention programs should start very early and involve peers

Kids can be really mean - especially to other kids - and school-yard bullying can have serious immediate and long-term effects. One area of increasing concern in this regard is the possibility that overweight or obese children shoulder the brunt of bullying. With childhood obesity rates reaching unprecedented levels, this may translate into even more negative behavior being experienced by today's kids.

25 Apr 2012

Omega-3 supplements do not improve diastolic function in older adults

Over the past three decades, researchers have firmly established that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have healthy effects on the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to help both in preventing cardiovascular disease as well as in preventing future heart attacks, strokes, and other adverse events in people who have established cardiovascular disease.

25 Apr 2012

Novel community-based weight loss intervention for African American breast cancer survivors

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Health Research and Policy have designed a novel community-based weight loss intervention designed for African American breast cancer survivors.

25 Apr 2012

Breast cancer survivors who redefine their goals are healthier

A new collaborative study published in Psycho-Oncology by Carsten Wrosch of Concordia University's Department of Psychology and Centre for Research in Human Development and Catherine Sabiston of McGill's Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education and the Health Behaviour and Emotion Lab found that breast cancer survivors who were able to let go of old goals and set new ones showed an improved well-being overall.

24 Apr 2012

Ethiopian immigrant women in Israel more likely to develop obesity

A new study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has found that Ethiopian women who immigrated to Israel gained significant amounts of weight, and some became obese, after integrating local foods into their diet and eating fewer traditional dishes.

24 Apr 2012

Exergames have significant benefits for older adults

Videogame technology is proving to be a valuable tool for helping people of all ages improve lifestyle and health habits and manage disease. New research is showing that exergames have significant benefits for older adults by providing cognitive stimulation and a source of social interaction, exercise, and fun.

24 Apr 2012

Exercise staves off dementia in older women: Study

Older women with first signs of memory decline might ward off full-blown dementia by engaging in routine strength training according to a new study. However supervised weight-lifting seems to be working better than aerobics-based activity programs, the study found. The study was conducted with researchers from the Department of Psychology and Division of Geriatric Medicine at UBC, and Department of Psychology at the University of Iowa.

24 Apr 2012

Study shows how acupuncture therapy holds promise for skeletal muscle atrophy

A team of Japanese researchers will reveal study results Monday at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting that show how acupuncture therapy mitigates skeletal muscle loss and holds promise for those seeking improved mobility through muscle rejuvenation.

24 Apr 2012

Fun ways for women to get active with 100,000 Acts of Play Challenge

A new survey from the American Cancer Society finds women are 10 percent less likely than men to make time for physical activities they enjoy and that 40 percent of women said they would be more physically active in their free time if it felt less like work and more like play. As a result, the American Cancer Society Choose You movement is calling on women to help close this gap and to discover fun ways to get active with its 100,000 Acts of Play Challenge.

23 Apr 2012

South African sports medicine expert to present at AMSSM annual meeting

South African sports medicine expert Martin Schwellnus, MD, PhD will be presenting "Born to Break Down? Genetics in Soft Tissue Injuries" at the 21st American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA on April 22, 2012.

23 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Health law's legal peril; Barney Frank's misdiagnosis

Health-care reform, the impossible dream that seemed to become a reality in 2010, is now in mortal danger. Republicans want to repeal it even though the federal law is patterned after a Massachusetts law that their apparent presidential nominee signed in 2006. They can't do that, of course, unless they sweep the next election. So the clear and present danger comes from the Supreme Court, where a majority of justices seemed to snarl at the law in open session last month. Health-care reform is clearly in legal peril.

21 Apr 2012

First study to examine soda's effect on stroke risk

Researchers from Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute and Harvard University have found that greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas is associated with a higher risk of stroke. Conversely, consumption of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee was associated with a lower risk.

21 Apr 2012

Exercise may help smokers to quit, reduce risk of CVD

Exercise may help smokers to quit and remain smokefree, according to new data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology. Moreover, exercise increases life expectancy in smokers and non-smokers alike.

21 Apr 2012

ACS report outlines gaps and opportunities that contribute to cancer mortality

An annual report from the American Cancer Society says much of the suffering and death from cancer could be prevented by more systematic efforts to reduce tobacco use, improve diet and physical activity, reduce obesity, and expand the use of established screening tests. The report, Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Facts and Figures (CPED), outlines gaps and opportunities that contribute to cancer mortality, and says social, economic, and legislative factors profoundly influence individual health behaviors.

20 Apr 2012

Physical activity reduces CVD mortality risk in patients with hypertension

In the study, all-cause and CVD mortality risks were found to be significantly higher among study participants that didn't exercise compared with active participants at all blood pressure levels. Moreover, the excess mortality risks of physical inactivity, when converted into a "blood pressure equivalence of physical activity" measurement, revealed that physical inactivity was similar to a rise in mortality risk equivalent to an increase in blood pressure of 40-50 mmHg.

20 Apr 2012

Even a little physical activity a day keeps Alzheimer’s away

It is estimated that by 2030, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease worldwide is expected to double to 80 million. A new study shows a ray of hope. It found that daily physical activity might provide a person's best chances of staving off the degenerative brain disorder - even if they're over 80 years old.Additionally exercise does not have to be strenuous. Activities such as cooking and cleaning also led to a protective benefit.

19 Apr 2012

Regular physical activity may decrease risk of AD even in very old adults

Daily physical activity may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline, even in people over the age of 80, according to a new study by neurological researchers from Rush University Medical Center that will be published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology on April 18.

19 Apr 2012

Cruciferous vegetables protect and improve breast cellular health

Broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens, cauliflower-your mother insisted they were good for you while you defiantly pushed them around your plate. Perhaps you didn't believe they were all that good for you. If they're so great, why don't they taste better? Turns out your mother was right. These cruciferous vegetables have a profound influence on the health of your body's cells. In fact, a recent study by Vanderbilt University's Ingram Center showed that a diet full of cruciferous vegetables protects and improves breast cellular health.

19 Apr 2012

Tai Chi designed for wheelchair users

An innovative 13-postures Tai Chi designed for wheelchair users is described in the current issue of Technology and Innovation- Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors.

18 Apr 2012

A guide to catch and treat hypertension early in children

High blood pressure in children and adolescents is a growing health problem that is often overlooked by physicians, according to a University of Michigan Health System article published in American Family Physician that offers doctors a guide to catching and treating hypertension early.

18 Apr 2012