Latest Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Stories

Researchers from a pair of prominent US universities have discovered that American adults aren't getting enough exercise, spending less than half as much time participating in sports or fitness activities as experts recommend each week. As part of their study, members of Penn State University and the University of Maryland analyzed data collected by the government through the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) American Time Use Study (ATUS), the State College, Pennsylvania-based college...

In response to an urgent call from public health, health care, child care, and fitness practitioners, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), with assistance from multiple partners, has developed two important sets of guidelines directed at improving the health and activity levels of infants and toddlers. The Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years (aged 0-4 years) and the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for the Early Years (aged 0-4 years) are presented...

www.silvertimes.ca launches SHELBURNE, ON, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - This new optimal aging website for older adults provides easy to understand articles about the benefits of physical activity and healthy living. Written by experts in their field, articles are based on current research. Identifying a need for reliable on-line research-based information for older adults, the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults (ALCOA) is pleased to announce the launch of...

In a study that included data for more than 20,000 children and adolescents, higher amounts of time with moderate to vigorous physical activity were associated with better cardiometabolic risk factors (such as measures of cholesterol, blood pressure and waist size), regardless of the amount of time spent sedentary, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA. "National and international public health authorities agree that children and adolescents should accumulate at least 60...

Peer adversity reduces physical activity among children, which may increase risk of obesity. KENT, Ohio, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New research from Kent State University's Dr. Jacob Barkley, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, demonstrates that social exclusion results in decreased physical activity among children. The study, "The Effect of Simulated Ostracism on Physical Activity Behavior in Children," appears in the March 2012 issue of Pediatrics, and is...

Experts suggest initiatives to motivate RA patients to activity improves public health A new study, funded by a grant from the National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), found that two in five adults (42%) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were inactive. Taking measures to motivate RA patients to increase their physical activity will improve public health according to the findings now available in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by...

Resolution season is upon us and according to an expert at Baylor College of Medicine, something is better than nothing when it comes to diet and exercise changes. "Physical activity helps you feel better immediately – it increases your sense of well-being," said Dr. John Foreyt, professor of medicine and director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at BCM. Improving mental health "You feel great after a brisk walk. That feeling can lift your spirits throughout the day and...

WILMINGTON, Del., Dec. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NHPS) division, Governor Jack Markell, along with representatives from Delaware's Department of Education announced the results of a recently completed study that shows a clear and consistent relationship between fitness and academic achievement, as well as fitness and student behavior regardless of a student's gender, race, family income or school district. "The results show...

People sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, a new study concludes. A nationally representative sample of more than 2,600 men and women, ages 18-85, found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week, which is the national guideline, provided a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality. People also said they felt less sleepy during the day, compared to those with less physical activity. The study, out...

"Long, dark nights are with us now that the clocks have gone back, but they may be held at bay in future years after new research led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine suggests that moving the clock forward all year round could be good for health.". The study - published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health - found that children were the most physically active on long summer days, with the biggest effect showing between 5pm and 8pm on longer days....