Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

Reporting on research can either bring clarity or perplexity. Mixed messages came recently from two studies based on the same data yielding two different outcomes. The outcomes differed because the studies examined different questions. Researchers used the National Runners (n=33 060) and Walkers (n=15 945) Health Study cohorts. One study asked what effect do the […]

Does less physical activity cause obesity or does obesity cause less physical activity? It’s a chicken or egg puzzle that many overlook. People generally, and especially advocates for the food industry, are pretty sure that reduced physical activity is a prime cause of the obesity epidemic. New research soon to be published in Obesity shows […]

It turns out that the modern miracle of household labor saving devices has been quite effective. A new study published in PLOS ONE documents almost five decades of declining energy expenditure for housework by U.S. women. At the same time, they found a substantial rise in sedentary time. The investigators concluded that this observation may […]

New long-term data from people with severe obesity (BMI ≥40) and diabetes in the Look AHEAD study shows that lifestyle interventions can make a big difference. Compared to patients with lower BMI (25-29), those with severe obesity lost a significantly higher percent of their weight, 4.9%, after four years in the study. Patients with severe obesity […]

New data from the LABS (Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery) study shows that with just modest physical activity, bariatric surgery patients had less anxiety or depression. Wendy King, the lead investigator from the University of Pittsburgh, commented on the implications of this and other research: Typically, clinical professionals manage their patients’ depression and anxiety with […]

More than a million direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads for cholesterol-lowering drugs could have an unintended effect: persuading people that a healthy lifestyle doesn’t help. A new study from researchers at Cornell University analyzed the content of DTC ads for cholesterol-lowering prescription drugs from 1994 to 2007 and found that 80% of the advertising suggests that diet […]

So much of the imagery we see about exercise and fitness is daunting, because it suggests you can’t get enough. A new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham paints a very different picture. Investigators found that a more moderate approach was actually more beneficial than working out almost daily. Sedentary women, ages 60 […]

UK Minister of Business, Jo Swinson, has advised women’s magazine editors in the UK to stop featuring irresponsible fad diets that set unrealistic goals about weight loss and may be harmful to women’s health in this New Year resolution season. Ms Swinson, in a radio interview, said any diet that is “encouraging you to lose weight […]

People making weight loss resolutions should consider less car travel along with obvious options like joining a gym or starting a diet. For those setting weight goals, reducing calories often makes up the entire plan. But a new study suggests that reducing daily car travel time can be just as effective as calorie restrictions.  The objective of the […]

Can government policies reverse the obesity epidemic? Or do such policies just provide examples of a nanny state over-reaching in futility? In a comprehensive report on obesity, The Economist suggests caution is in order. Everyone agrees the problem of obesity needs to be addressed. But we have little evidence for successful  broad scale interventions. That […]