Exercise News and Research

Latest Exercise News and Research

New report suggests promising strategies to preserve brain health as people grow older

With the rapid aging of the population, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is intensifying the search for strategies to preserve brain health as people grow older.

24 Feb 2006

Efficacy of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate may depend on level of osteoarthritis pain

The popular dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate proved no better than a placebo in relieving osteoarthritis knee pain in most participants of a major national trial.

23 Feb 2006

External counterpulsation not effective as a treatment for heart failure

A new review of studies supports the government's opinion that too little evidence exists to support a device that uses balloon-like pants as a treatment for heart failure.

23 Feb 2006

Heart health and lifestyle help seniors maintain brain power

A comprehensive review says heart health risk factors and lifestyle choices, such as exercise, learning new things and staying socially connected, help keep brains healthy as we grow old.

22 Feb 2006

Statins and beta blockers may reduce heart attack risk

For patients with undiagnosed heart disease, taking a statin or beta blocker could mean the difference between experiencing mild chest pain, or having a full-blown heart attack as a first symptom. That's the finding of a Kaiser Permanente study in the February 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

21 Feb 2006

More time exercising not intensity results in long-term weight loss

Women fighting the post-pregnancy weight battle face a lot of challenges, not the least of which is just finding the time to exercise. New research from Duke University suggests that more time exercising -- not intensity -- results in long-term weight loss.

21 Feb 2006

Exercise re-ignites key areas of the brain

Too old to learn new skills? By golly, think again. New research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shows that training re-ignites key areas of the brain, offsetting some age-related declines and boosting performance.

21 Feb 2006

Lung-volume reduction surgery is a good option for many patients with end-stage emphysema

Tens of thousands of Americans living with emphysema would benefit from a surgical procedure that removes part of the lung, according to national research presented by a Saint Louis University cardiothoracic surgeon.

21 Feb 2006

Nicotine patch and group support may be the best combination for helping women in public housing to stop smoking

This strategy helped nearly 50 percent of women smokers in an Augusta public housing unit quit smoking by the end of a six-week program while less than 8 percent of women in a comparison group had kicked the habit, says Dr. Jeanette Andrews, nursing professor at the Medical College of Georgia and principal investigator

20 Feb 2006

Poor physical fitness associated with lower socioeconomic status and higher rate of death

Individuals who have abnormal findings on exercise stress testing are more likely to have lower than higher socioeconomic status, and these physiologic characteristics may help account for the correlation between low SES and a higher rate of death

17 Feb 2006

Rimonabant produces sustained weight loss long term

Use of the weight-loss medication rimonabant produced modest yet sustained weight loss after 2 years, and improved HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

17 Feb 2006

More physical activity does not lower risk of colon cancer

A prospective cohort study of 31,783 American women has found no significant association between levels of physical activity and colon cancer incidence.

17 Feb 2006

Hormone aldosterone linked to quality of hearing

Researchers have linked a hormone known to adjust levels of key brain chemicals to the quality of our hearing as we age. The more of the hormone that older people have in their bloodstream, the better their hearing is, and the less of the hormone, the worse their hearing is.

16 Feb 2006

Diuretics improve exercise capacity in patients with congestive heart failure

Diuretics reduce the risk of death, delay heart deterioration and improve exercise capacity in patients with congestive heart failure, a new review of studies shows.

16 Feb 2006

Grapefruits help reduce cholesterol

A grapefruit a day - particularly the red variety - can help keep heart disease at bay, according to a new study by Israeli researchers.

16 Feb 2006

The pros and cons of new anti-obesity drug

According to researchers at New York's Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, an anti-obesity drug that turns off the same brain circuits which trigger the marijuana-induced hunger pangs, appears to produce sustained weight loss among patients.

16 Feb 2006

'Sexercise' will keep you healthy and young

According to British health experts if you want to get fit forget the gym, jogging round the park and doing sit ups, a workout between the sheets is a more effective and enjoyable way of keeping healthy.

12 Feb 2006

Physician counseling and computer assessment may improve teen health behaviors

A program that combines advice from a primary care physician with computer assessment, mailings and phone calls may help teens improve some aspects of their diets and physical activity levels, according to a study in the February issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

9 Feb 2006

Older women who simply reduce the amount of total fat in their diet won't generally lower cancer risk

Older women who simply reduce the amount of total fat in their diet won't generally lower their risk of breast or colorectal cancer or heart disease, according to the latest findings from the federally funded Women's Health Initiative.

9 Feb 2006

French may be headed for similar obesity and heart problems as U.S.

Just 2 pounds of weight gain can greatly increase a person's risk for the metabolic syndrome, a dangerous condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, finds a Kaiser Permanente study.

7 Feb 2006