Staying Fit May Require More Than 30 Min Daily Exercise
Posted on: Tuesday, 10 February 2009, 15:39 CST
While previous estimates have recommended that people need thirty minutes of exercise in order to stay fit, newly issued guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) state that Americans may require more to lose weight and keep it off.
"In the midst of a genuine crisis in Americans' health related to what we eat and how little we move, these guidelines are meant to provide an understanding and clarification of the role of physical activity and its relationship to weight," Dr. Joseph E. Donnelly of the University of Kansas in Lawrence and chair of the advisory committee noted in a statement.
"Now that we have the latest information on how much physical activity is part of the equation, we can continue the educational process to help people who struggle with their weight," Donnelly added.
In 2001, the ACSM stated that Americans should exercise for a minimum time of 150 minutes each week, which amounts to about 30 minutes per day, five days per week.
However, 200 to 300 minutes per week was recommended for long-term weight loss.
"Resistance training does not enhance weight loss but may increase fat-free mass and increase loss of fat mass and is associated with reductions in health risk," said the ACSM.
"More recent evidence has supported this recommendation and has indicated that more physical activity may be necessary to prevent weight regain after weight loss," reads the ACSM's position paper published in the latest issue of the College's journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Furthermore, in another recent ACSM study, researchers found that adverse weather and seasonal changes can discourage physical activity.
“We’ve long suspected that seasons influence physical activity levels,” said lead author Mark Newman, whose study appears in this month’s issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise “It’s natural to want to stay indoors more during colder months, leading to fewer opportunities to be physically active, which in turn, may negatively affect health.”
His team followed 508 post-menopausal Caucasian and black women during an 18-month period.
“Women aged 45 and 64 years– like those in our study – have some of the lowest reported activity levels of any population subgroup out there,” Newman said. “It’s ironic, because physical activity is critical at this age, to optimize functionality and health during the aging process,” said Newman.
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Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports
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User Comments (1)
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Posted by alexbozo on 03/12/2009, 11:04 dear, it was useful.thanks. |
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