Posts Tagged ‘physical activity’

Childhood obesity starts early. By the time infants become toddlers, about 14 percent have obesity. If you read about the priorities for preventing childhood obesity, you’ll find a lot about nutrition. Family activities, too. But sleeping is a mere footnote. This might be a serious mistake, if you go by what recent research says. The Importance […]

A fascinating new study in the JCI Insight is spawning some tantalizing headlines. “Cardio Boosts Metabolism More Than Strength Training” says the Independent. Wow! Can a study of just ten healthy men really support such a sweeping claim? The short answer is no. But it’s still a fascinating study. A Careful Metabolic Study Thomas Morville […]

Ask any school teacher. Children have a tough time sitting still. But maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe we should not be taming that impulse to wiggle and squirm and get up and move. In fact, a careful new study suggests that kids with excess weight might be healthier if they get up and move […]

New research in Lancet Planetary Health finds that air pollution is adding to the global burden of diabetes. In fact, researchers estimate that it contributed to 3.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes in 2016 alone. Published yesterday, the study suggest that cuts in air pollution might help reverse global trends toward a crushing […]

This week, the UK is taking even bolder action to reduce childhood obesity. A new obesity plan aims to cut England’s rate of childhood obesity in half by 2030. How, you ask? The answer involves marketing restrictions, restaurant calorie labeling, and a Daily Mile for primary students. All this comes on top of a sugary […]

Scientists and health reporters love a paradox. It earns clicks and ad dollars. It garners citations and visibility. So Pieter Coenen and colleagues are getting attention this week with a claim that they’ve found a physical activity paradox. In their analysis, they find that hard labor – high levels of physical activity at work – correlates with 18% […]

This isn’t too mysterious. A number of recent studies are making it ever more clear that even small bits of exercise can give you a boost – in health and happiness. It doesn’t take long bouts of intense activity. From the Journal of Happiness Studies You gotta love this journal. Peer-reviewed and devoted to the scientific […]

Athleisure has taken over popular culture. It seems like everyone is working out. Runners are everywhere we turn. People move through their their days ready for yoga with their mats and togs. And yet, we’re also more sedentary than ever. How can this be? Could it be that our appetite for exercise plays a role? […]

Sometimes simple things can have lasting effects. A new study in PLOS Medicine points to an excellent example. The subject is a 12-week walking program with pedometers. Follow-up on two different randomized controlled studies show real increases in physical activity three to four years after the program. More Than Just the Gizmos The story behind […]

Perhaps you’ve noticed. Popular culture has embraced fitness. Athleisure is everywhere in fashion. Gyms are enjoying a prolonged trend of seemingly limitless membership growth. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the number or people who say they are meeting guidelines for physical activity is growing. But is our popular fitness culture putting a dent […]