Archive for April 2007
Shrek as Exercise Role Model?
Can a fat, green ogre send millions of children the message that movement
is healthy? Yes, and he has a full cast
of characters to help him. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Ad Council joined with DreamWorks Animation SKG in February to launch a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to address childhood obesity. Featuring characters fro…
Making the Change a Good One
As average life expectancy for women continues to increase, quality-of-life
issues come to the fore. Expanded life spans are encouraging new research into menopause—a life change that all women experience. About 35–40 million women in the United States are past menopause or currently going through it, and the Baby Boom Generation will likely add another 20 million in the
u…
Stress Costs Billions
Americans are stressed out, and it’s costing billions. Consumers are spending more money than ever to combat the effects of stress, and companies are struggling with how to manage the business-related costs. Next year, according to Market Data, Americans will pay out an estimated $14 billion on products and services to reduce stress—up $3 billion from the amount consumers s…
Read MoreSpecial Report: Older-Adult Programming
Older-adult fitness is booming. Once considered a specialty niche, older adults are entering fitness facilities in throngs, looking to regain function, prevent injury and improve quality of life. The fitness industry has also begun to widen its gaze to include persons living in active-retirement communities or assisted-living facilities. Professionals interested in …
Read MoreShould Teens Weigh Themselves?
Does frequent self-weighing make adolescents and teens more vulnerable to body image disorders and yo-yo dieting? Researchers recently tried to answer that question in a 5-year longitudinal study called Project EAT, which observed more than 2,500 adolescents. Study participants were divided into two groups: those who were transitioning from early to middle adolescence (the younger cohort)…
Read MoreEconomist Supports End to Music Piracy Protection
The way in which group fitness instructors obtain music for classes has changed immensely over the past 5–10 years. The online music marketplace offers diversity and ease of use, but digital-rights management (DRM) software prevents copying of music sold online. If Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple Computers, has any say in it, the era of such restrictions could soon be over. In Februa…
Read MoreAppetizers
Here’s a taste of what’s cooking in
the world of nutrition:
Researchers at the University of Iowa and the University of Michigan Health System found that people with kids living at home routinely ate 4.9 grams more fat—and more cheese, ice cream, beef, pizza and salty snacks—than adults who did not
live with children under age 17.
The…
FDA Rules on Cloned Animal Food
The FDA has ruled on the safety of introducing cloned animals into the nation’s food supply, marking the way for the United States to become the first country to allow products from cloned livestock to be sold in grocery stores. The ruling was part of three documents released by the agency in late December: a draft risk assessment,
a proposed risk management plan and a draft guida…
Study to Test Exercise in Heart Failure Patients
The results of a new international study may support your efforts to design programs for clients who have experienced heart failure (and who have a doctor’s release). The “largest randomized clinical trial of exercise training ever performed” is now underway, involving 83 sites that will test 3,000 people to determine whether exercise is good for heart failure patients.
…
Leaving a Job on Good Terms
Have you noticed? The fitness job market is growing rapidly, yet our industry is still a relatively tight-knit network. Your supervisors and/or the company you work for might be affiliated with other fitness businesses and organizations in your area or around the world. How does that affect you? The way you handle your resignation at one job could influence your ability to get hired at an…
Read MoreFeeling a Little Weak in the Knees? Try Deep-Water Running
The impact of land-based running can often have significantly debilitating effects
on the body. Yet running is one of the most popular cardiovascular activities, and
enthusiasts have difficulty cutting back, despite the potential for injury. If this is the case with a client of yours, you might suggest deep-water running (DWR) as a more accommodating alternative to the unforgiving terrain o…
Feldenkrais Method May Help People With Alzheimer’s
The Feldenkrais Method may improve quality of life for patients with Alzheimer’s and enable them to learn new habits, according to an article published in Alzheimer’s Care Quarterly (2006; 7 [4], 278–86).
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, individuals lose reasoning and communication abilities. Motor skills are retained the longest. The more that pa…
10 Steps for Brain Health
When counseling your clients to observe healthy habits, be sure to include tips on preserving
mental as well as physical fitness. The Alliance for Aging Research, a nonprofit organization, recommends following these 10 steps to keep your brain and your body in shape.
1. Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids (commonly found in fish), protein…
Honoring the Whole Person
Almost a decade ago, IDEA member (21 years and counting) Molly Lynn had a pivotal discussion about the specialized health and fitness needs of people in her age group (mid to late 70s and older). Lynn, who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a friend agreed that fitness professionals offered very few programs for much older adults. They decided they would be the ones to meet the challenge. …
Read MoreOptimizing RPM
If you teach indoor cycling, you’ve probably led some type of cadence drill. Have you ever explored cadence beyond that? The cycling term used for pedaling speed, cadence refers to the number of crank revolutions per minute (rpm). While
cadence alone cannot reflect effort, it is
a critical variable that cyclists use to
manipulate intensity and efficiency. Small computer…
Mulan Quan: Tai Chi for Women
While there are numerous tai chi styles, only one is designed exclusively for women. Mulan quan (or chuan) is a modern form of tai chi created for women by a female tai
chi master, Sifu Mei Fing Ying. Literally translated, mulan quan means “wooden orchid fist”; the style, however, is named after Hua Mulan, a brave young woman who took her aging father’s place in…
Meet the Future of Personal Fitness Training
Their births began just after World War II ended, and they grew up during the Vietnam War (1965–73); some live with the memories as Vietnam veterans. The assassination of John F. Kennedy (1963) saddened the nation when they were children, and they watched as the Richard Nixon Watergate scandal unfolded (1972–74). Many remember the untimely deaths of Marilyn Monroe (1962) and E…
Read MoreBody Size & Breast Cancer Risk in Young Women
Strange as it may seem, higher body mass index (BMI) has been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women. Researchers recently conducted a longitudinal study of 113,130 young women to determine the mechanisms underlying this “We observed a significant linear inverse trend
between current BMI and breast cancer that was not explained by menstrual cyc…
Sinking in Sand
Each time you use your talent and abilities to guide clients in a scripted relaxation, you harness the power and privilege of being an agent of change. You are in a position to help alter clients’ days—and lives—for the better. Before you start any relaxation session, reflect on the following simple but critical tips. They will help you lead others so they get maximum be…
Read MoreObesity Hurts Kids’ Feet
If you work with obese children, you may need to become more aware of how their condition is affecting their feet. Doctors with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) say they’re noticing more and more overweight and obese children with foot and ankle pain. A vicious circle of foot pain and obesity may hinder some children from progressing. “You want overweight chil…
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