The Health Gazette

A newly released study appearing in Clinical Cardiology examines the average fitness level of the morbidly obese (body mass indexes between 40.0 and 49.9). The findings show that the tested population was sedentary for more than 99 percent of the day and, on average, walked less than 2,500 steps per day - far below healthy living guidelines of 10,000 steps per day. The results provide important links between obesity, poor fitness and cardiovascular disease.

The study used a precise body sensor to continually measure physical activity, caloric expenditure and movement minute-by-minute over a 72-hour period within their home environments. Following collection of the data, structured cardiorespiratory fitness testing waccording toformed on each subject.

Most morbidly obese participants in the study were markedly sedentary. On average, 23 hours and 51.6 min per day were spent sleeping or engaged in sedentary activity and the remaining 8.4 minutes were spent in moderate activity. On average, subjects took 3,763 ± 2,223 steps.

The highest level of activity attained by any single individual during one 24-hour period was 28 minutes of moderate activity. No length of time was spent at a high level of activity for any of the individuals while under observation. Two individuals in this study spent the entire monitoring period in sedentary activity.

Obesity contributes to five of the top 10 diseases with the highest mortality rates: cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Increasingly, new technologic advances encourage individuals to move less and expend fewer calories.

However, it has been shown that, despite being obese, individuals with moderate-to-high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness have cardiovascular death rates that are 71 percent lower than their unfit counterparts. Moreover, low cardiorespiratory fitness is an independent predictor of mortality in normal weight, overweight and obese individuals alike. Morbidly obese individuals, however, have severely reduced cardiorespiratory fitness that is similar to those with established systolic heart failure.

Despite the lack of moderate or vigorous physical activity in the studied population, lighter amounts of physical activity may yield significant health benefits. Even light walking in speeds of 1 to 2 miles per hour shows significant health benefits. Over time, increasing amounts of light physical activity may improve aerobic capacity and ultimately reduce mortality.

"Our findings have important implications for the relationship between obesity and physical activity," say authors Thomas Vanhecke, Barry Franklin,Wendy Miller, Adam deJong, Catherine Coleman and Peter McCullough of William Beaumont Hospital. "Our findings will add incentive to increase physical fitness in this population and increase the awareness of healthcare professionals of the need for recommending physical activity in their patients".


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Posted by: Evelyn    Source

     

Remember those reports that claimed getting some exercise is better than skipping out on physical fitness altogether? Well, according to new reports, that statement may need to be amended-slightly.

Once upon a time (translation: a few months ago) walking was considered a decent form of exercise. But now, researchers at the University of Alberta say they have evidence that proves walking may not be enough for individuals to experience significant health benefits. According to the study's author, generally, low-intensity activity such as walking will not provide a person marked health benefits compared to programs that occasionally elevate the intensity. Researchers noted that their primary concern is that many doctors encourage patients with health issues to increase the amount of time they spend walking, but neglect to focus on the effort put forth during the exercise.

The new study put the popular 10,000-step exercise program to the test against a traditional fitness program, which incorporated cardio activities on equipment such as treadmills and stationary bicycles. The first group was asked to walk at a moderate- intensity, a level allowing for one or two sentences of conversation with ease. Meanwhile, the other group completed their daily walks at a self-selected pace.

In the end, the group that walked at a moderate-intensity displayed greater oxygen capacity and lower blood pressure rates than the other group. The bottom line, researchers say, is that walkers should not concentrate on the total number of daily steps accumulated; rather, they should pay more attention to the pace or effort invested in taking those steps. Researchers say to increase the effectiveness of your fitness program you must add some intensity to your workout. For example, if you are taking 10,000 steps per day, then make sure that at least 400 of them are done at a brisk pace.

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The government suggests that Americans engage in 150 minutes of "moderate-intensity physical activity" per week. But, have you ever wondered what qualifies as "moderate-intensity" exercise? Is it defined as walking, jogging, running, hiking, or does raking leaves count?

Fitness experts have determined that a rate of at least 100 steps per minute achieves moderate-intensity activity. Meaning that if you were to purchase a basic pedometer and record 3000 steps in 30 minutes, then you would be participating in moderately intense exercise, and therefore engaging in a meaningful fitness program.

For the record, pedometers are unable to measure activity intensity. However, researchers were able to rig a pedometer, a heart rate monitor, and an oxygen monitor to participants to determine that 100 steps per minute achieves moderate-intensity activity. The difference between male and female participants differed but only slightly. Researchers found that men could achieve moderate-intensity activity by walking between 92 and 102 steps per minute. For women, the range was between 91 and 115 steps per minute.

According to the study's lead investigator, the data supports a general recommendation of walking at more than 100 steps per minute on level terrain to meet the minimum of the moderate-intensity guideline. Researchers also noted that individuals who are just beginning an exercise regime should consider starting off by taking 1000 steps in 10 minutes, before building up to 3000 steps in 30 minutes. You can monitor your progress using a simple pedometer and a wristwatch.

In addition to moderate-intensity physical activities such as running, jumping rope, or biking, the government also recommends participating in muscle-strengthening activities three times a week, including sit-ups, push ups and free weights. Other everyday activities that build muscle strength include carrying heavy loads, vigorous mopping or vacuuming, digging and hoeing.

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There are thousands of fitness videos on the market today from Denise Austin and Karen Voight to Mari Winsor and Crunch Fitness, but a new study shows that sales of exercise DVDs have declined in the last three years as more fitness buffs turn to the Internet to get buff.

According to the study, an increasing number of exercisers are no longer purchasing a new fitness DVD each month. Rather they are streaming fitness videos from Netflix and other sources to their televisions and computer monitors. Among the most popular are online workouts from "The Biggest Loser's" Jillian Michaels and the New York City Ballet.

The benefits of these online workouts are that they are accessible with the click of a mouse and you can follow them somewhere other than your living room. Fitness buffs are now watching online workouts anywhere and everywhere. Exercisers download them to their iPods, stream them from Netflix to their television, and even create their own workout videos by slicing together moves from their favorite fitness gurus such as Billy Blanks, whose Tae Bo tape is on YouTube.

Fitness videos are a multi-million dollar franchise with more than 600 new titles being released each year. However, the industry has seen a sharp decline in sales in the last two years. Most online exercisers say they simply got tired of doing the same routines over and over, and have switched to participating in Internet-based workouts like those offered on YogaToday.com, which has a new class each day. What's more, many online fitness sites also allow participants to subscribe to audio podcasts on iTunes, so they can work out when they are traveling.

With more and more fitness buffs turning to the Internet to get their daily workout in, some fitness video producers are considering purchasing bandwidths so viewers can download videos from their websites.

Do you incorporate streaming fitness videos into your daily workout regime?

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