Physical Activity News and Research

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Risk of NAFLD lowers with routine physical activities

Researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia determined that patients with a sedentary lifestyle who engage in routine physical activities lower their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

10 Sep 2009

CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation for ASCO

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ accreditation, recognizing the organization’s commitment to taking concrete actions to reduce the cancer risk of its employees and their families through screenings, early detection, and healthy changes in lifestyle and in the workplace.

9 Sep 2009

Campaign launched to tackle childhood obesity

Urging children to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Everette James and Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak today helped to kick off the NFL Play 60 national youth health and fitness campaign.

9 Sep 2009

Lack of physical activity is linked to childhood obesity

It's the start of another school year and Canadian physiotherapists are taking this opportunity to talk tough about the epidemic of overweight and inactive children in this country. According to Statistics Canada about 25 percent of Canadian children are overweight. The Active Healthy Kids Canada 2009 Report Card found that only 13 percent of children and youth are getting the 90 minutes of physical activity recommended by Canada's Physical Activity Guide.

9 Sep 2009

Nutrisystem D program helps overweight type 2 diabetic people lose weight

Results from a clinical study conducted at the Temple University School of Medicine and published today in the journal Postgraduate Medicine(1), show that a pre-packaged, portion controlled meal plan helped overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes lose significantly more weight and reduce their A1C test scores (a 90-day measure of blood sugar control) by almost a full point greater than those following a standard hospital-based diabetes support and education program, according to the findings.

9 Sep 2009

Recipients of Charles C. Shepard Award announced

Jill Van Den Bos, a healthcare consultant in Milliman's Denver Health practice, and her colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been named recipients of the prestigious Charles C. Shepard Award.

8 Sep 2009

CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation for Independence Blue Cross

Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ accreditation, recognizing the organization’s commitment to taking concrete actions to reduce the cancer risk of its employees and their families through screenings, early detection, and healthy changes in lifestyle and in the workplace.

8 Sep 2009

AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project launches "6 Weeks to Longevity" program

People don't want to just live longer; they want to live healthier and more purposeful lives. Now, through the AARP(R)/Blue Zones(R) Vitality Project sponsored by United Health Foundation, people from across America will have the opportunity to add healthy years to their lives by joining the project at AARP.org/BlueZonesProject and signing up for the "6 Weeks to Longevity," which kicks off on September 8, 2009.

4 Sep 2009

Type 2 diabetic people not consuming healthy diets

People with type 2 diabetes are not consuming sufficiently healthy diets and could benefit from ongoing nutritional education and counseling, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

4 Sep 2009

Education and cardiac defibrillators can boost survival rates

More widespread availability of defibrillators and education of the general public could boost survival rates fourfold amongst athletes suffering cardiac arrest, a study has found. In less than half of cases, a bystander initiated cardiopulmonary reanimation. This is crucial as survival at hospital admission is 4 times higher when CPR is attempted and 10 times greater when an electric shock is delivered.

2 Sep 2009

Financial rewards motivate America's workers to participate in wellness programs

America's workers will take greater responsibility for their health and participate in corporate wellness programs if there is a financial incentive, according to a survey released today by Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of health and productivity programs. Eighty nine percent of the 2,700 U.S. employees surveyed said financial rewards (e.g., cash, healthcare premium discounts) are important motivators for participating in wellness programs.

2 Sep 2009

Walking and biking raise health and fitness levels

Trying to get fit but can't work it into your daily schedule? Incorporating even relatively short bouts of exercise into a daily commute appears to deliver significant rewards, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

2 Sep 2009

The American Heart Association implements many community actions for preventing childhood obesity

The American Heart Association commends the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council for recommending a solid array of meaningful community actions in their new report Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Overweight children have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight adults.

2 Sep 2009

New therapy delays the progression of heart failure

A therapy called cardiac resynchronization can significantly delay the progression of heart failure, according to a major international study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Sep 2009

Report from health experts recommends several strategies to reduce childhood obesity

Zoning restrictions on fast-food restaurants near schools and playgrounds, community policing to improve safety around public recreational sites, requirements that publicly run after-school programs limit video game and TV time, and taxes on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks are some of the strategies local government officials can use to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic in their communities, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.

2 Sep 2009

The more alcohol people drink, the more likely they might be to exercise, says study

Drinkers aren't just bending their elbows: according to a new study, the more alcohol people drink, the more likely they might be to exercise.

2 Sep 2009

Correlation between overweight, smoking and breast cancer discovered

A recent study published in the Journal of Cancer Epidemiology has reinforced the correlation between being overweight, smoking and breast cancer. What makes this study unique is how test subjects were not diagnosed for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, which predispose women to breast cancer.

1 Sep 2009

Brisk walking avoids obesity

Men and women who walk or ride a bike to work appear more fit, and men are less likely to be overweight or obese and have healthier triglyceride levels, blood pressure and insulin levels, according to a report in the July 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

1 Sep 2009

Fox Chase becomes the seventh cancer center to receive the CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation

Fox Chase Cancer Center has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ accreditation, recognizing the organization’s commitment to the health of their employees and family members by certifying their efforts to meet an exceptionally high standard of cancer prevention, screening and care guidelines.

1 Sep 2009

Cardiac resynchronization therapy delays the progression of heart failure

A therapy called cardiac resynchronization can significantly delay the progression of heart failure, according to a major international study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

1 Sep 2009