FitBits
Exercise ETC's
Review of Exercise Related Research
February 15, 2009
Compiled by Chris Marino, MS, CSCS
Director of Education, Exercise ETC
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More TV Time Results in Development of Poor Eating Habits
If you want your children to develop healthy eating habits for life, you better get them to put down the remote! Researchers at the University of Minnesota recently reported that the amount of television watched during middle school and high school years is directly linked to poorer eating habits five years later.
More than 1900 middle and high-school students were surveyed to identify patterns in both television and eating habits. The survey was re-administered to the same group five years later.
Survey respondents were described as having limited, moderate or heavy television viewing habits corresponding to less than 2 hours per day, 2-5 hours, and more than 5 hours per day, respectively. Individuals representing the younger group with heavy TV habits consumed the least fruit and most sugary beverages when compared younger respondents who watched fewer hours of television. In the older group, the heaviest TV viewing was linked to reduced fruit intakes and higher sugary beverage consumption. However, they were also found to eat the least vegetables, whole grains and calcium-rich foods, while having the highest consumption of total calories, fried foods, fast food and snacks five years later.
Based on the types of food consumed by the survey respondents, it was suggested that heavy television viewing, which exposes children to more advertising, might have helped mold their decisions about food. The researchers also speculate that heavy television viewing while eating may have lead to distractions and missing satiety cues, which leads to excess calorie intake.
Although research linking the volume of television viewing to poor eating habits is not groundbreaking, this was the first to identify the long-term implications among young populations.
Barr-Anderson, D.J., et al (2009) Does television viewing predict dietary intake five years later in high school students and young adults? International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 6:7 doi:10.1186/1479-5868-6-7
Elderly Need More than Tai Chi to Reduce Falls
Various forms of gentle movement are often recommended to enhance balance and mobility in older adult and elderly populations as part of fall-prevention strategies. Unfortunately, current research does not overwhelmingly support their use in reducing falls. In fact, a current study found that participating in Tai Chi, a gentle movement-based martial art, was associated with a trend toward increased falls among elderly participants.
Researchers in the Netherlands recruited 269 elderly participants with high fall risk who were currently living independently. Risk was determined based on poor balance, impaired mobility, dizziness, and/or using medications that could cause such symptoms.
138 were assigned to an intervention group that included participation in twice weekly hour-long Tai Chi sessions for 13 weeks. A control group received "normal" care, and all were provided education materials on fall risk-reduction.
Regrettably, during 12 months there was no improvement in fall-risk among participants in the Tai Chi program based on self-reported fall records. Actually, as a group, the Tai Chi participants fell a total of 25 times more than controls during that period. Additionally, no improvement was seen in measures such as fear of falling, blood pressure, resting heart rate, or functional performance.
It's important to note that although the results of this study are not promising, previous studies have found Tai Chi and QiGong (similar to Tai Chi) to improve joint mobility and reduce stress in various populations. Moreover, the short-term intervention used in this particular study cannot be representative of the potential long-term results of similar interventions, yet to be studied.
Logghe, I.H.J., et al (2009) Lack of Effect of Tai Chi Chuan in Preventing Falls in Elderly People Living at Home: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 57(1): 70-75
Seven Minutes a Week Improves Insulin Function
A string of studies have been published over the past couple years identifying a strong relationship between High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and reduced cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome risk. High Intensity Interval Training incorporates periods of exercise above 85% VO2max or HRR in alteration with periods of active or passive recuperation. Evidence suggests that smaller amounts of HIIT are more productive than larger amounts of moderate continuous training. No one is sure, however, how little HIIT and at what exact intensity optimize any variable measured.
Last month a study published in the journal Biomed Central Endocrine Disorders indicated that insulin sensitivity may be improved with as little as 7 minutes of exercise per week. Astounding!
Researchers in England studied 16 young healthy men. Participants completed between 4 and 6 thirty-second sprints on a cycle ergometer in 6 sessions over two weeks. In total, the participants had accumulated 15 minutes of exercise in that time period. An oral glucose tolerance test was administered at baseline and after completing the two week intervention. Researchers also measured aerobic performance using a self-paced time trial.
After two weeks of HIIT it was determined that insulin sensitivity had improved by 23% along with a 6% increase in aerobic cycling performance. Although fasting measures of glucose and insulin were unchanged, participants showed better glucose management during the glucose tolerance test.
Compliance is potentially the most difficult obstacle to overcome in exercise programming. If less commitment is necessary to experience optimal benefits a larger number of currently inactive individuals might be more successful in formulating an exercise habit. The results of this study truly support the old adage that "something is better than nothing" ... as long as you work hard enough.
Babraj, J.A., et al (2009) Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improves insulin action in young healthy males BMC Endocrine Disorders 2009, 9:3 doi:10.1186/1472-6823-9-3
Exercise is Underprescribed for Chronic Pain!
Physicians are in a unique position to provide exercise information to large numbers of people throughout America. Unfortunately, as a group they do not appear to be taking advantage of the opportunity to get people moving. In fact, researchers recently reported that physicians are under-prescribing exercise even when strong evidence exists for use of exercise in the treatment of chronic pain.
Nearly 700 people participated in a telephone survey to determine whether they had received advice from their physician on exercise. All respondents had received treatment from a physician, chiropractor or physical therapist for chronic back or neck pain within 1 year of the interview. The results should be nothing less than concerning for those in the exercise profession.
Only 48% of those surveyed had been prescribed exercise by their caregiver, nearly half of which came from physical therapists. Most shockingly, less than 15% of physicians prescribed exercise to their patients. More than 63% of Physical Therapy patients and 30% of chiropractic patients received exercise prescriptions.
In this study the strongest predictor of whether someone received an exercise prescription is whether or not the individual has seen a chiropractor or physical therapist. Moreover, those who were female, had higher education or were on worker's compensation were more likely to receive an exercise prescription.
The researchers claim that this study identifies a shortcoming in the medical system. In this case, exercise is not being recommended nor supervised at a frequency in line with current practice guidelines.
Freburger, J.K., et al (2009) Exercise prescription for chronic back or neck pain: Who prescribes it? Who gets it? What is prescribed? Arthritis Care and Research. 61(2): 192-200.
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