Volume 6, Issue 9
Researchers evaluated body weight data from a sample
of 8,550 children who were 4 years of age at the study
time. The overall prevalence of obesity was 18.5% (study
authors used the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention’s definition of childhood obesity). The study
also revealed that serious racial and ethnic disparities in
obesity exist, even in 4-year olds. The highest
prevalence is in American Indian/Native Alaskan
children, who are twice as likely to be obese than are
non-Hispanic white or Asian children.
Exercise helps migraine
sufferers
The National Institutes of Health estimate that 28 million
Americans suffer from migraines. People who suffer from
chronic, severe migraines have long been advised not to
exercise vigorously, to stick with low-intensity routines,
and sometimes, to refrain from exercise altogether.
However, a recently published Swedish study shows that
these precautions may not be necessary. In fact,
exercise, particularly cycling, may be beneficial for
chronic migraine sufferers.
Thoughts of exercise are
associated with increased
food intake
Twenty-six patients who had all been diagnosed with
chronic migraines were surveyed at a headache clinic.
They were assigned an exercise program based on
indoor cycling, which was performed 3 times per week
for 12 weeks. Total oxygen uptake, physical fitness,
migraine status, side effects, and quality of life were
evaluated. Results showed that quality of life increased
with exercise and significant improvements in migraines
were present: this includes lower pain, headache
frequency, symptom intensity, and lower medicine
intake.
People who are trying to lose weight should exercise,
there is no question about it. However, exercise
increases one’s metabolic rate and increases hunger,
which is a completely normal reaction. However,
interesting new research published in the journal
Obesity warns that just thinking about exercise – without
even moving – increases appetite and stimulates hunger.
This phenomenon can be problematic when people are
trying to lose weight.
Nearly 20% of infants are
obese
Researchers from the University of Illinois conducted
two separate experiments where they tested a group of
subjects’ reactions to posters with active words and then
measured their subsequent food intake. The active
phrases suggested that they “exercise,” “join a gym” or
“take a walk.” The results showed that subjects ate more
food after looking at the posters than people who saw
similar posters prompting them to "make friends" or "be
social," which are not exercise-related. The researchers
warn that this could hurt people trying to lose weight if
they aren’t actually exercising as much as they think
about exercising.
In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
reported that childhood obesity had not significantly
increased since 2003. Unfortunately, new research
indicates that this plateau no longer exists and that
childhood obesity rates are once again rising. Many
experts predict that if trends continue, the youngest
generation will not outlive its parents’ generation. This
new study, conducted at Ohio State University,
highlights just how staggering the numbers are and also
emphasizes the role of ethnicity in childhood obesity.
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Longer bouts of exercise are Better
The government’s Physical Activity Guidelines recommend 150 minutes of exercise
per week for most people. Health experts often advise that people should engage in
short bouts of activity, and count every 10-minute increment toward their goal of
150 minutes per week. While incorporating short bouts of exercise is often helpful
towards reaching one’s fitness goals, a new study indicates that longer periods of
exercise may be more beneficial, especially for children.
The study analyzed data from 2,498 youth aged 8 to 17 years, who took part in
sporadic (1-4 minutes), short (5-9 minutes) and medium-to-long (10 or longer)
bouts of physical activity. Participants' BMI was used to classify them as normal
weight or obese. Results showed that 25 percent of those who tended to
accumulate their physical activity in longer bouts were overweight or obese,
compared with 35 percent in those who tended to accumulate their activity in a sporadic manner. This study
shows that longer bouts of exercise help children maintain a healthy weight and may also be indicative of other
healthy lifestyle factors.
Treadmills vs. elliptical machines
There are many different types of cardiovascular equipment, such as treadmills, bikes, stair steppers, rowing
machines, cross trainers and elliptical machines, just to name a few! With all these choices, it’s hard for gym
goers to decide which machine to use. Experts agree that variety is the key to a healthy workout routine, and
recommend that exercisers should use many different machines in addition to strength and flexibility training.
However, new research suggests that treadmills beat elliptical trainers when it comes to getting a good cardio
workout.
Researchers at Western Washington University set out to determine the physiological responses elicited from
working out on an elliptical machine as compared to running on a treadmill. Eighteen male subjects performed
four separate five-minute exercise trials over two days, and researchers measured their heart rate, maximal
oxygen uptake (the leading indicator of physical fitness and cardiovascular strength) and RPE (rate of perceived
exhaustion). The study showed that at various different intensities, running on a treadmill lead to a significantly
higher oxygen uptake, meaning that the subjects got a much better cardiovascular workout on the treadmill.
SOURCES
Varkey E, Cider, Carlsson, J, and Linde M. (2008). A study to evaluate the feasibility of an aerobic exercise program in patients with migraine. Headache: The
Journal of Head and Face Pain, 49(4), 563 - 570.
Anderson SE and Whitaker RC. (2009). Prevalence of obesity among US preschool children in different racial and ethnic groups. Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine, 163, 344-348.
Albarracin D, Leeper J, and Wang W. (2009). Immediate increase in food intake following exercise messages. Obesity, epub.
Mark A and Janssen I. (2009). Influence of bouts of physical activity on overweight in youth. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(5), 416-421.
Garlatz TJ, Brilla LR, Knutzen KM and Chalmers GR. (2008). Physiological Responses of Elliptical and Treadmill Exercise in Collegiate Distance Runners. The Journal of
the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 22, 1175-1182.
This newsletter has been brought to you by your health club, a member
of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. To learn
more about the health benefits of exercise, visit HealthClubs.com today.
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