Increasing the amount of time that elementary schoolchildren spent in gym class reduces the probability of obesity, a new study from Cornell University has found.

The study represents some of the first evidence of a causal effect of physical education (PE) on youth obesity.

The research offers support for the recommendations of organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control, Institute of Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all of which have advocated increasing the amount of time that elementary school children spend in gym class, said lead researcher and Cornell professor of policy analysis and management, John Cawley, who conducted the study with Chad Meyerhoefer of Lehigh University (Cornell Ph.D. 2002) and David Frisvold of Emory University.

(more…)

A new research has suggested that frequency of candy consumption is not associated with weight or certain adverse health risks.

According to a recent data analysis, adults who consume candy at least every other day are no more likely to be overweight nor have greater risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than moderate consumers (about once a week) or even less frequent candy eaters (less than 3 times per month).

Almost all adults reported eating candy, but there is variability in frequency and quantity consumed at a given time. Previous research has shown that candy consumers are not more likely to be overweight or have greater risk factors for chronic disease than non-consumers of candy.

This research showed that even the consumers who reported eating the most candy on a given day were not more likely to be at risk for increased weight or disease. Such findings were surprising and required further investigation which this new study set out to do, delving into the role of usual frequency of candy consumption and health/weight outcomes.

(more…)

According to a new study, having too much body fat makes arteries become stiff after middle age.

In young people, blood vessels appear to be able to compensate for the effects of obesity. But after middle age, this adaptability is lost, and arteries become progressively stiffer as body fat rises – potentially increasing the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

The researchers suggest that the harmful effects of body fat may be related to the total number of years that a person is overweight in adulthood. Further research is needed to find out when the effects of obesity lead to irreversible damage to the heart and arteries, they said.

Obesity is known to be a major risk factor for heart disease, but the reasons for this are not fully understood.

(more…)

Yogacharya Sandeep, a yoga instructor and a yoga psychologist, is from Bihar Yoga Bharathi, a yoga educational institution, dedicated to the study and practice of yoga, in the gurukul tradition.

He has developed specific corporate training programs to meet the requirements of the modern professionals, customised modules for schools and also personal training programs. A few modules are on stress management, improving productivity, managing work life balance, healing spondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, managing acidity etc.

Yogacharya Sandeep answered Sify readers’ queries related to the above in an exclusive chat. Read the transcript below.

How many times kapalbhati can be done.

First of all why are you opting for Kapalbhati? Are you inspired or do you really need it? Kapalbhati is a heating pranayama which boosts up the blood circulative system and thereby you experience extreme heat in the body, and you are not aware your body can withstand this amount of heat.So my advice would be not to opt for Kapalbhati without expert guidance. All the best!! : )

(more…)

People with job stress and an unhealthy lifestyle are at higher risk of coronary artery disease than people who have job stress but lead healthy lifestyles, a new study has found.

To determine whether a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the effects of job stress on coronary artery disease, researchers looked at 7 cohort studies from a large European initiative that included 102 128 people who were disease-free during the 15-year study period (1985-2000).

Participants, ranging in age from 17-70 (mean 44.3) years were from the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Sweden and Finland. More than half (52 percent) were women.

Of the total participants, 15 986 (16 percent) reported job stress, which was determined from specific job-related questions in the studies.

(more…)

The increase in waistlines could fuel a big rise in the number of people with dementia in the future, researchers have warned.

According to data presented at the European Congress on Obesity, stemming the rise in obesity will cut down the risk of dementia, the BBC reported.

The Alzheimer’s Society charity has suggested that regular exercise and a healthy weight are important for reducing the risk.

One study conducted on 8,500 Swedish twins showed that people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30- who are classified as obese- were almost four times as likely to develop dementia as those with a normal BMI.

It was claimed that even those people who were clinically overweight with a BMI between 25 and 30, were 71 percent more likely to develop dementia.

(more…)

Work conditions can predict development of diabetes in healthy employees, a new study has found.

Cases of type 2 diabetes continue to rise in the US. And while the development of the disease is more commonly associated with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity, research has shown that stress can also have a significant impact.

Now Dr. Sharon Toker of Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Management has found that low levels of social support and high levels of stress in the workplace can accurately predict the development of diabetes over the long term – even in employees who appear to be healthy otherwise.

The study contributes to an ongoing body of research linking work conditions to physical and mental health.

(more…)

Rapid technological and industrial developments have made our lives easier, causing a steep rise in the occurrence of lifestyle related diseases. Childhood obesity, one of the leading causes of concern among many, can be stopped in its tracks. Read on to find out how.

Diabetes, obesity and heart disease are among the three most prominent health issues today, all of them are linked to certain lifestyle factors and improper diet. Watching your child put on kilos rapidly can be scary, which is why it’s exceptionally important to keep a watch on your child’s eating habits and lifestyle.

(more…)

Get rid of that junk food addiction-try these super easy tips. Read on.

There’s been an exponential increase in the number of people suffering from lifestyle related disorders today. Diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular ailments are much more prevalent today, and the rapid boom in the processed food industry only intensifies the damage.Once in a while, it’s okay to indulge, but if you practically live on junk food, it’s time to make serious lifestyle changes to avoid getting crushed under the overpowering weight of different disorders that could affect you, not to mention your own weight too. And it’s not as difficult as it seems, infact, we’ve made it easier for you. Follow these easy steps to beat the binge.

(more…)

A recent study has found that the body’s internal clock, the circadian system, increases hunger and cravings for sweet, starchy and salty foods in the evenings.

While the urge to consume more in the evening may have helped our ancestors store energy to survive longer in times of food scarcity, in the current environment of high-calorie food, those late night snacks may result in significant weight gain.

“Of course, there are many factors that affect weight gain, principally diet and exercise, but the time of eating also has an effect. We found with this study that the internal circadian system also likely plays a role in today’s obesity epidemic because it intensifies hunger at night,” said Steven Shea, Ph.D., director for the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology at Oregon Health and Science University and senior author on the study.

“People who eat a lot in the evening, especially high-calorie foods and beverages, are more likely to be overweight or obese,” he stated.

(more…)