Health & Fitness
Little exercise, heavy use of electronic media constitute a significant health risk for children
The Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study, PANIC, carried out by the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Eastern Finland shows that low levels of physical activity combined with heavy use of electronic media and sedentary behavior are linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and vascular diseases already in 6-8 […]
Weight bias plagues U.S. elections, study finds
Overweight political candidates tend to receive fewer votes than their thinner opponents, finds a new study co-authored by a Michigan State University weight bias expert. While past research has found weight discrimination in schools, businesses, entertainment and other facets of American society, this is the first scientific investigation into whether that bias extends to election […]
Internet-mediated exercise program improves quality of life in COPD patients
A pedometer-based walking program supported by Internet-based instruction and support can improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference. “Low levels of physical activity among individuals with COPD can contribute to impaired quality of life […]
5 Foods for a Flatter Stomach
If there were foods that you could eat to get a flatter stomach, would you eat them? We would (and we do!)! Here are five foods that you should consider adding to your diet (if you don’t eat them already). Yogurt contains probiotics, which are good-for-you bacteria that aid in digestion and […]
Children who exercise have better body-fat distribution, regardless of their weight
Maybe the numbers on the scale aren’t alarming, but that doesn’t mean that healthy-weight children get a pass on exercising, according to a new University of Illinois study published in Pediatrics. “The FITKids study demonstrates the extent to which physical activity can improve body composition, and that’s important because it matters to your health where […]
Too much prolonged high-intensity exercise risks heart health
Overdosing on high intensity exercise may actually increase the risk of death from a heart attack or stroke in those with existing heart disease, suggests German research published online in the journal Heart. Similarly, a second Swedish study in the journal suggests that young men undertaking endurance exercise for more than five hours a week […]
Walking may have profound benefits for patients with kidney disease
For individuals with kidney disease, walking may help prolong life and reduce the risk of needing dialysis or a kidney transplant. That’s the conclusion of a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). Physical inactivity is common among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Che-Yi […]
Poor diuretic response associated with worse clinical outcomes
Poor diuretic response is associated with worse in-hospital and post-discharge clinical outcomes, results of the RELAX-AHF trial reveal. The study also found that serelaxin has a neutral effect on diuretic response. These novel data from the RELAX-AHF trial were presented by lead author Professor Adriaan A. Voors at the Heart Failure Congress 2014, held 17-20 […]
Complex interactions may matter most for longevity
If studying a single gene or a diet that might extend longevity is like searching for a fountain of youth, then a new study calls for looking at something more like the whole watershed. Brown University biologists who experimentally throttled three such factors in fruit flies found that lifespan depended more on interactions among the […]
Mathematics to improve running
How can runners improve their performance, weight and fitness? Amandine Aftalion from the Mathematics Laboratory in Versailles (CNRS/University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines) and Frédéric Bonnans from the Center of Applied Mathematics (CNRS/Inria/École polytechnique) have produced a mathematical model to optimize running, which could lead to personal e-coaching customized to each individual’s physiological state. It also confirms a […]