Health and fitness professionals often focus on how many kids are
overweight. However, a study in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition has found that not exercising is a higher risk factor for
all-cause mortality than being overweight or obese (Ekelund et al.
Youth are flocking to fitness classes as parents face concerns over inactivity, obesity, sports injuries and performance. Instructors are learning to cater to the vast needs of this market, and it can be difficult to create a safe environment where all children can participate, get results and have a good time. While challenges will always exist in group classes, some simple strategies, particularly during the first few minutes, can turn frustration into fun.
Engagement and Physical Literacy
A Tufts University study led by Adela Hruby, PhD, MPH, has found that healthy people with the highest magnesium intake were 37% less likely to develop high blood sugar or excess circulating insulin, common precursors to diabetes.
Among people who already had those conditions, those who consumed the most magnesium were 32% less likely to develop diabetes than those consuming the least.
The second association held true even when researchers accounted
for other healthful factors—such as fiber—that often go along with magnesium-rich foods.
It may be time to focus health promotion efforts toward Asian Americans. Research from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2014; 64 , 2486–94) says that this population has a significantly high risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.
Using U.S. census data and death records, researchers examined death rates among the largest Asian subgroups (Asian-Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese). They then narrowed their search to deaths caused by heart disease and stroke. Overall, the researchers combed 10,442,034 death records.
In certain circumstances—for example, when preparing for an endurance event—pacing is a necessary component of safe training. But some protocols may call for the opposite, requiring clients to generate as much strength or power as possible for a shorter period of time. Researchers believe they’ve developed a tool to help females give more during the workout.
Encouraging news for those with scoliosis, and valuable information for yoga and Pilates instructors who have clients with scoliosis: Regularly performing a yoga side-plank pose on the convex side of the primary curve can significantly reduce the curve’s angle in people with scoliosis, according to research published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine (2014; 3 , 16–21; doi: 10.7453/gahmj.2013.064).
Today’s fast-paced, digital world pressures children to grow up fast. Instead of running around grassy playgrounds, most of them live highly structured lives, shuttling from one organized activity to the next, often while playing with hyper-stimulating devices. For school-age children, homework, peer pressure, teasing, poor grades, bullying, parental demands and isolation can all trigger stress (White
Most people are aware that children in developed nations are experiencing epidemic levels of obesity, and that this problem is, in large part, associated with physical inactivity. However, the standard fitness recommendation to get more cardiovascular exercise may not be the best advice for overweight, underactive children. The fact is, very few childr...