(Vicki Santillano, DivineCaroline) A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology linking excessive sitting time with increased risk of dying. The study also concluded that whether you exercise or not makes little difference. Uh-oh.
According to results, men and women who sat longer than six hours were more likely to die at the time of the study than those who sat for fewer than three hours. Six hours sounds like a long time to stay put, but considering a large portion of Americans have desk jobs and spend their off-time being couch potatoes, maybe that’s not so surprising. It made me wonder about our culture’s sedentary nature and how it affects us.
1. We spend 8.5 hours a day in front of screens.
That’s what Ball State University researchers found out in 2009 when they recorded how much visual media people are exposed to on a daily basis, and through what mediums. Their results showed that across most age groups, consumers spend almost nine hours a day in front of the TV and computer, using mobile devices like the iPhone, and watching movies.
Another survey done that same year had similar results: The Nielsen Company’s Three Screen Report found that Americans watch about 153 hours of TV every month per person -- and that doesn’t include anything watched online or via smartphones.
2. Work-life lasts 7.5 hours every day. Active life? Not so much.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted an American Time Use Survey in 2009 showing 7.5 hours as the average amount of time Americans spend working daily. Ted Schadler of Forrester Research estimates that 34 million Americans work from home at least part of the time, which often contributes to a sedentary lifestyle by eliminating the need to get up and leave the house, walk to a coworker’s desk for a meeting, and so forth. (Plus, the kitchen’s right there.) That number is expected to reach 63 million by 2016.
Comparatively, the 2010 National Health Interview Survey found that only 31 percent of people do the recommended thirty minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week. In fact, 40 percent of people don’t engage in any kind of regular exercise at all.
3. This all leads to fifty-six hours of sitting every week.A 2009 issue of Women’s Health reported on a poll conducted by the Institute for Medicine and Public Health that showed the average American spends a little over 33 percent of the week sitting. Given how much we work, watch TV, and don’t exercise, that seems about right.
4. Three out of four Americans have an increased skin-cancer risk partly caused by sitting indoors so much.Recent research suggests office workers are more at risk for malignant melanoma than outside workers. In exploring this surprising rise, the authors of a 2009 study published in Medical Hypotheses discovered two significant factors: harmful UVA exposure from outside light through windows and a lack of vitamin D.
The vitamin D problem is a persistent one in this country. A 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that 75 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, partly due to insufficient time outdoors (because we’re spending too much time working and watching TV indoors).
We need vitamin D to fight melanoma, but the only way to get a sufficient amount is through proper diet and plenty of sunshine. A deficiency in vitamin D also contributes to osteoporosis and cardiovascular issues.
5. Constantly sitting makes our bodies wider.
Not surprisingly, sedentary jobs and habits, as well as our culture’s penchant for greasy food and big portions, invariably lead to weight gain. Forty-four percent of workers in a 2010 Careerbuilder.com survey reported that they had put on weight at their jobs. Forty-nine percent of them attributed it to sitting at a desk most of the day. That could be because being sedentary for long periods of time causes the metabolism to slow and less effectively break down fats and sugars.
6. Most things around us have gotten wider, too.As a result of the country’s collective weight gain, specialized office furniture is now made to support heavier loads. Theater seats increased from 19 to 21 inches in the last century. Doors and church pews have gotten a little wider, too.
7. Our mothers were wrong: Fidgeting in seats is a good thing.
The more you move in any capacity, be it pacing or wiggling in your seat, the less likely you are to gain weight, at least according to a 2005 study at the Mayo Clinic. Scientists studied the actions and tracked the caloric intake of obese and thin people for a period of time.
They found that the thin participants sat 150 minutes less per day than the obese ones because they tended to fidget more, which meant that they burned an average 350 calories more. Even tapping your foot under the desk works; it’s a movement that continuously activates leg muscles without requiring much energy or thought.
There’s at least one alternative to sitting in a desk chair all day, and that’s the treadmill desk championed by the same Mayo Clinic researchers who studied fidgeting. You walk on the treadmill at any pace you like and type, talk on the phone, and conduct work as you would sitting -- only this way you’re burning way more calories.
But if your employers won’t spring for that, try to stand up and stretch or walk around at least once an hour. Just don’t stand hunched over your keyboard all day, as I’ve been doing since learning about the horrors of constant sitting. It barely makes a difference calorically, and then you have to explain to confused coworkers why you think your office chair is killing you.
*Interesting article about sitting too long. We all need physical activity daily in our day to day. Again, if we can all just start thinking differently about getting up off of our asses, then maybe more folks can be in better shape. Diva's Nation just keeking it real*
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Saturday, February 12, 2011
Diet Pepsi 'skinny' can stirs up big controversy!
(SARAH SKIDMORE, AP Food Industry Writer) Diet Pepsi has introduced a new "skinny" can for Fashion Week, but some critics are giving it a big, fat "no."
The can is a "taller, sassier" version of the traditional can that the company says was made in "celebration of beautiful, confident women." Some say Pepsi's approach only reinforces dangerous stereotypes about women and body image.
PepsiCo Inc. presented the new can at New York's Fashion Week, which began Thursday. It will be available to consumers nationwide in March.
The company, a Fashion Week sponsor, is hosting a series of events to launch the new can, include collaborations with popular designers such as Charlotte Ronson and Betsey Johnson.
"Our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today's most stylish looks, and we're excited to throw its coming-out party during the biggest celebration of innovative design in the world," Jill Beraud, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo said in a statement.
Critics say it is nothing to celebrate.
Brand experts praised the new design but say the company may be a bit off on its sales pitch that skinny is better. The National Eating Disorders Association said it takes offense to the can and said the company's comments are both "thoughtless and irresponsible."
Libby Copeland summed up many of the criticisms in an article for Slate.
"Same old story - aspirational, looks-oriented advertising with a thin layer of faux-empowerment on top," Copeland wrote. "If you're confident on the inside, you'll be skinny on the outside, or something. Huh?"
Pepsi said that can and its campaign are focused on design.
"We are sensitive to this interpretation, and that is definitely not our intent," the company said in an e-mailed statement. "We intend to highlight the innovative look for Diet Pepsi and provide our fans with an "inside look" at events that celebrate innovation and style."
The company will take its campaign one step further on Feb. 28 when it launches a print advertisement for the new can featuring the buxom actress Sofia Vergara.
Pepsi says it will continue to sell its traditional-sized can.
*WOW! A skinny Pepsi can! Pepsi must really think the consumers have lost their marbles! A skinny can doesn't hide the sugar, calories or the salt. No matter what they do, a soda is a still a soda*
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The can is a "taller, sassier" version of the traditional can that the company says was made in "celebration of beautiful, confident women." Some say Pepsi's approach only reinforces dangerous stereotypes about women and body image.
PepsiCo Inc. presented the new can at New York's Fashion Week, which began Thursday. It will be available to consumers nationwide in March.
The company, a Fashion Week sponsor, is hosting a series of events to launch the new can, include collaborations with popular designers such as Charlotte Ronson and Betsey Johnson.
"Our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today's most stylish looks, and we're excited to throw its coming-out party during the biggest celebration of innovative design in the world," Jill Beraud, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo said in a statement.
Critics say it is nothing to celebrate.
Brand experts praised the new design but say the company may be a bit off on its sales pitch that skinny is better. The National Eating Disorders Association said it takes offense to the can and said the company's comments are both "thoughtless and irresponsible."
Libby Copeland summed up many of the criticisms in an article for Slate.
"Same old story - aspirational, looks-oriented advertising with a thin layer of faux-empowerment on top," Copeland wrote. "If you're confident on the inside, you'll be skinny on the outside, or something. Huh?"
Pepsi said that can and its campaign are focused on design.
"We are sensitive to this interpretation, and that is definitely not our intent," the company said in an e-mailed statement. "We intend to highlight the innovative look for Diet Pepsi and provide our fans with an "inside look" at events that celebrate innovation and style."
The company will take its campaign one step further on Feb. 28 when it launches a print advertisement for the new can featuring the buxom actress Sofia Vergara.
Pepsi says it will continue to sell its traditional-sized can.
*WOW! A skinny Pepsi can! Pepsi must really think the consumers have lost their marbles! A skinny can doesn't hide the sugar, calories or the salt. No matter what they do, a soda is a still a soda*
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Alcohol kills more than AIDS, TB or violence: WHO!
(Reuters) – Alcohol causes nearly 4 percent of deaths worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence, the World Health Organization warned on Friday.
Rising incomes have triggered more drinking in heavily populated countries in Africa and Asia, including India and South Africa, and binge drinking is a problem in many developed countries, the United Nations agency said.
Yet alcohol control policies are weak and remain a low priority for most governments despite drinking's heavy toll on society from road accidents, violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism, it said.
Approximately 2.5 million people die each year from alcohol related causes, the WHO said in its "Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health."
"The harmful use of alcohol is especially fatal for younger age groups and alcohol is the world's leading risk factor for death among males aged 15-59," the report found.
In Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), every fifth death is due to harmful drinking, the highest rate.
Binge drinking, which often leads to risky behavior, is now prevalent in Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine, and rising elsewhere, according to the WHO.
"Worldwide, about 11 percent of drinkers have weekly heavy episodic drinking occasions, with men outnumbering women by four to one. Men consistently engage in hazardous drinking at much higher levels than women in all regions," the report said.
Health ministers from the WHO's 193 member states agreed last May to try to curb binge drinking and other growing forms of excessive alcohol use through higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and tighter marketing restrictions.
DISEASE AND INJURY
Alcohol is a causal factor in 60 types of diseases and injuries, according to WHO's first report on alcohol since 2004.
Its consumption has been linked to cirrhosis of the liver, epilepsy, poisonings, road traffic accidents, violence, and several types of cancer, including cancers of the colorectum, breast, larynx and liver.
"Six or seven years ago we didn't have strong evidence of a causal relationship between drinking and breast cancer. Now we do," Vladimir Poznyak, head of WHO's substance abuse unit who coordinated the report, told Reuters.
Alcohol consumption rates vary greatly, from high levels in developed countries, to the lowest in North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and southern Asia, whose large Muslim populations often abstain from drinking.
Homemade or illegally produced alcohol -- falling outside governmental controls and tax nets -- accounts for nearly 30 percent of total worldwide adult consumption. Some is toxic.
In France and other European countries with high levels of adult per capita consumption, heavy episodic drinking is rather low, suggesting more regular but moderate drinking patterns.
Light to moderate drinking can have a beneficial impact on heart disease and stroke, according to the WHO. "However, the beneficial cardio-protective effect of drinking disappears with heavy drinking occasions," it said.
One of the most effective ways to curb drinking, especially among young people, is to raise taxes, the report said. Setting age limits for buying and consuming alcohol, and regulating alcohol levels in drivers, also reduce abuse if enforced.
Some countries restrict marketing of alcoholic beverages or on the industry's sponsorship of sporting events.
"Yet not enough countries use these and other effective policy options to prevent death, disease and injury attributable to alcohol consumption," the WHO said.
Alcohol producers including Diageo and Anheuser Busch InBev have said they recognize the importance of industry self-regulation to address alcohol abuse and promote curbs on drunk drinking and illegal underage drinking.
But the brewer SABMiller has warned that policy measures like minimum pricing and high excise taxes on alcohol could cause more public health harm than good by leading more people to drink homemade or illegally produced alcohol.
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Rising incomes have triggered more drinking in heavily populated countries in Africa and Asia, including India and South Africa, and binge drinking is a problem in many developed countries, the United Nations agency said.
Yet alcohol control policies are weak and remain a low priority for most governments despite drinking's heavy toll on society from road accidents, violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism, it said.
Approximately 2.5 million people die each year from alcohol related causes, the WHO said in its "Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health."
"The harmful use of alcohol is especially fatal for younger age groups and alcohol is the world's leading risk factor for death among males aged 15-59," the report found.
In Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), every fifth death is due to harmful drinking, the highest rate.
Binge drinking, which often leads to risky behavior, is now prevalent in Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine, and rising elsewhere, according to the WHO.
"Worldwide, about 11 percent of drinkers have weekly heavy episodic drinking occasions, with men outnumbering women by four to one. Men consistently engage in hazardous drinking at much higher levels than women in all regions," the report said.
Health ministers from the WHO's 193 member states agreed last May to try to curb binge drinking and other growing forms of excessive alcohol use through higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and tighter marketing restrictions.
DISEASE AND INJURY
Alcohol is a causal factor in 60 types of diseases and injuries, according to WHO's first report on alcohol since 2004.
Its consumption has been linked to cirrhosis of the liver, epilepsy, poisonings, road traffic accidents, violence, and several types of cancer, including cancers of the colorectum, breast, larynx and liver.
"Six or seven years ago we didn't have strong evidence of a causal relationship between drinking and breast cancer. Now we do," Vladimir Poznyak, head of WHO's substance abuse unit who coordinated the report, told Reuters.
Alcohol consumption rates vary greatly, from high levels in developed countries, to the lowest in North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and southern Asia, whose large Muslim populations often abstain from drinking.
Homemade or illegally produced alcohol -- falling outside governmental controls and tax nets -- accounts for nearly 30 percent of total worldwide adult consumption. Some is toxic.
In France and other European countries with high levels of adult per capita consumption, heavy episodic drinking is rather low, suggesting more regular but moderate drinking patterns.
Light to moderate drinking can have a beneficial impact on heart disease and stroke, according to the WHO. "However, the beneficial cardio-protective effect of drinking disappears with heavy drinking occasions," it said.
One of the most effective ways to curb drinking, especially among young people, is to raise taxes, the report said. Setting age limits for buying and consuming alcohol, and regulating alcohol levels in drivers, also reduce abuse if enforced.
Some countries restrict marketing of alcoholic beverages or on the industry's sponsorship of sporting events.
"Yet not enough countries use these and other effective policy options to prevent death, disease and injury attributable to alcohol consumption," the WHO said.
Alcohol producers including Diageo and Anheuser Busch InBev have said they recognize the importance of industry self-regulation to address alcohol abuse and promote curbs on drunk drinking and illegal underage drinking.
But the brewer SABMiller has warned that policy measures like minimum pricing and high excise taxes on alcohol could cause more public health harm than good by leading more people to drink homemade or illegally produced alcohol.
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Friday, February 11, 2011
Medicare chief says health law working!
President Barack Obama's chief of health programs for the elderly and poor on Thursday said the year-old U.S. healthcare overhaul was reducing Medicare costs and called a push by congressional Republicans to repeal the law unfortunate.
Medicare and Medicaid services administrator Donald Berwick, appearing before a congressional panel, rebuffed Republican claims that the law would raise costs for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA), which uses private insurance providers such as Humana Inc and UnitedHealth Group Inc, to deliver benefits.
Berwick told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee that the latest data show premiums are down an average 6 percent this year, while enrollment is up by 6 percent to more that 12 million people.
Separately, Oppenheimer & Co analyst Michael Wiederhorn said he expects growth in private Medicare plans to continue to swell as more of the nation's baby boomer population qualifies for the program, which covers people age 65 or older.
Such plans "should be an attractive alternative to control costs ... compared to the inefficient Medicare Fee-For-Service," he wrote in a research note, adding that cuts to the plans under the health law could squeeze HMO profits.
Overall, shares of HMOS were up slightly compared to the larger S&P 500 index. Humana shares were down 0.7 percent at $58.14 while UnitedHealth was up nearly 1 percent at $42.46 in afternoon trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
As Berwick testified, Democrats released a report by the Government Accountability Office that said many Medicare Advantage programs spend a high percentage of premiums on administrative costs and profits.
"One out of every three MA enrollees is in a plan that spends less than 85 percent of their projected
Medicare payment on medical expenses, which means more than 15 percent of their projected Medicare payment goes to overhead and profit," the report said. The healthcare overhaul places limits on how much insurers can spend on profits and administrative costs.
At the Ways and Means hearing, Republicans pointed to prepared testimony by the Medicare and Medicaid agency's own chief actuary, Richard Foster. He predicted higher costs and lower enrollment in Medicare
Advantage as changes in government payments under the new healthcare law go into effect.
Berwick said that Medicare Advantage providers have been aggressive in advertising and enrolling new beneficiaries.
"This law means real improvements for Medicare beneficiaries, now and in the future," Berwick said in his written testimony to the Ways and Means Committee. "That's why the House vote to repeal this law was unfortunate."
It was Berwick's first appearance before the House panel and Republicans, who are pushing to repeal the law and deny funding for its implementation, pressed for yes and no answers on its effect on Medicare.
Berwick said the law was complicated and said it was difficult to be that specific.
"I am most disappointed in the lack of candid answers," said Republican Representative Geoff Davis.
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Medicare and Medicaid services administrator Donald Berwick, appearing before a congressional panel, rebuffed Republican claims that the law would raise costs for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA), which uses private insurance providers such as Humana Inc and UnitedHealth Group Inc, to deliver benefits.
Berwick told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee that the latest data show premiums are down an average 6 percent this year, while enrollment is up by 6 percent to more that 12 million people.
Separately, Oppenheimer & Co analyst Michael Wiederhorn said he expects growth in private Medicare plans to continue to swell as more of the nation's baby boomer population qualifies for the program, which covers people age 65 or older.
Such plans "should be an attractive alternative to control costs ... compared to the inefficient Medicare Fee-For-Service," he wrote in a research note, adding that cuts to the plans under the health law could squeeze HMO profits.
Overall, shares of HMOS were up slightly compared to the larger S&P 500 index. Humana shares were down 0.7 percent at $58.14 while UnitedHealth was up nearly 1 percent at $42.46 in afternoon trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
As Berwick testified, Democrats released a report by the Government Accountability Office that said many Medicare Advantage programs spend a high percentage of premiums on administrative costs and profits.
"One out of every three MA enrollees is in a plan that spends less than 85 percent of their projected
Medicare payment on medical expenses, which means more than 15 percent of their projected Medicare payment goes to overhead and profit," the report said. The healthcare overhaul places limits on how much insurers can spend on profits and administrative costs.
At the Ways and Means hearing, Republicans pointed to prepared testimony by the Medicare and Medicaid agency's own chief actuary, Richard Foster. He predicted higher costs and lower enrollment in Medicare
Advantage as changes in government payments under the new healthcare law go into effect.
Berwick said that Medicare Advantage providers have been aggressive in advertising and enrolling new beneficiaries.
"This law means real improvements for Medicare beneficiaries, now and in the future," Berwick said in his written testimony to the Ways and Means Committee. "That's why the House vote to repeal this law was unfortunate."
It was Berwick's first appearance before the House panel and Republicans, who are pushing to repeal the law and deny funding for its implementation, pressed for yes and no answers on its effect on Medicare.
Berwick said the law was complicated and said it was difficult to be that specific.
"I am most disappointed in the lack of candid answers," said Republican Representative Geoff Davis.
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Overweight Kids Who Exercise Improve Thinking, Math Skills: Study!
(HealthDay News) -- When overweight, sedentary kids start to exercise regularly, their ability to think, to plan and even to do math improves, a new study suggests.
In addition, exercise was linked to increased activity in the parts of the brain associated with complex thinking and self-control, according to brain imaging scans analyzed by the researchers.
"This implies that chronic sedentary behavior is compromising children's ability and achievement," said lead researcher Catherine Davis, a clinical health psychologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta.
"We know that exercise is good for you, but we didn't have very good evidence [before this] that it would help children do better in school," said Davis.
Although this study was done among overweight children, she believes that similar results would be seen in normal-weight kids.
Davis speculates that these positive changes are a result of a combination of biological and environmental factors. "There are some neural growth factors that have been identified in mice that exercise," she said.
These benefits may include more brain cells and more connections between them.
But there are also social and environmental factors, she noted. "[There's] more stimulation when things are moving faster and when you're moving. So it is cognitively stimulating to move," Davis said.
With one-third of U.S. children overweight, Davis thinks that exercise needs to become an essential part of children's lives.
"Make sure your child has a balanced life -- not only that they study, but that they learn to take care of their bodies as well," she said.
The report is published in the January issue of Health Psychology.
For the study, Davis's team randomly assigned 171 overweight children 7 to 11 years old, to either 20 minutes or 40 minutes of vigorous exercise every day after school or to no exercise. The exercise program focused on fun and safety rather than competition and skill, and included running games, hula hoops and jump ropes. Researchers found it raised their heart rates to 79 percent of maximum, which is considered vigorous.
The researchers evaluated the children using standard achievement tests known as the Cognitive Assessment System and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III. Some children also had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of their brains.
The MRIs found that children who exercised had increased activity in the so-called executive function area of the brain -- associated with self-control, planning, reasoning and abstract thought -- as well as the prefrontal cortex. The latter is the part of the brain linked with complex thinking and correct social behavior, the researchers noted.
There was also decreased activity in an area of the brain that's behind the prefrontal cortex. The shift seems to be tied to faster developing of cognitive skills, Davis said.
In addition, the more the kids exercised, the more the intelligence-test scores went up. An average increase of 3.8 points on scores in cognitive planning skills was noted in kids who exercised 40 minutes a day for three months, the researchers found.
Children who exercised 20 minutes a day experienced smaller gains.
There were also improvements in math skills, but not reading ability. "The finding of improved math achievement is remarkable, given that no academic instruction was provided, and suggests that a longer intervention period may result in more benefit," the researchers said.
Commenting on the study, Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist, said: "Take a bunch of kids, put them outside, give them some balls, jump ropes and street chalk, and they will be running, jumping and playing hopscotch in no time."
They become happier, more energetic, smarter kids, she said.
"Children's bodies know intuitively that exercise is essential for healthy brain and body function. But when we deny children their natural instincts and allow them to stultify in front of a TV or computer, they become lethargic [and] moody," Heller said, adding that sedentary kids are also prone to being overweight and may do poorly in school.
"It seems a no-brainer to me that for kids' brains to be healthy, they should be encouraged to participate in regular exercise and given the time and place for it," Heller concluded. "We need to turn off the computers, TVs, cell phones and iPads and let kids do what they do naturally: Run around and play."
More information
For more information on kids and exercise, visit the Nemours Foundation.
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In addition, exercise was linked to increased activity in the parts of the brain associated with complex thinking and self-control, according to brain imaging scans analyzed by the researchers.
"This implies that chronic sedentary behavior is compromising children's ability and achievement," said lead researcher Catherine Davis, a clinical health psychologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta.
"We know that exercise is good for you, but we didn't have very good evidence [before this] that it would help children do better in school," said Davis.
Although this study was done among overweight children, she believes that similar results would be seen in normal-weight kids.
Davis speculates that these positive changes are a result of a combination of biological and environmental factors. "There are some neural growth factors that have been identified in mice that exercise," she said.
These benefits may include more brain cells and more connections between them.
But there are also social and environmental factors, she noted. "[There's] more stimulation when things are moving faster and when you're moving. So it is cognitively stimulating to move," Davis said.
With one-third of U.S. children overweight, Davis thinks that exercise needs to become an essential part of children's lives.
"Make sure your child has a balanced life -- not only that they study, but that they learn to take care of their bodies as well," she said.
The report is published in the January issue of Health Psychology.
For the study, Davis's team randomly assigned 171 overweight children 7 to 11 years old, to either 20 minutes or 40 minutes of vigorous exercise every day after school or to no exercise. The exercise program focused on fun and safety rather than competition and skill, and included running games, hula hoops and jump ropes. Researchers found it raised their heart rates to 79 percent of maximum, which is considered vigorous.
The researchers evaluated the children using standard achievement tests known as the Cognitive Assessment System and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III. Some children also had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of their brains.
The MRIs found that children who exercised had increased activity in the so-called executive function area of the brain -- associated with self-control, planning, reasoning and abstract thought -- as well as the prefrontal cortex. The latter is the part of the brain linked with complex thinking and correct social behavior, the researchers noted.
There was also decreased activity in an area of the brain that's behind the prefrontal cortex. The shift seems to be tied to faster developing of cognitive skills, Davis said.
In addition, the more the kids exercised, the more the intelligence-test scores went up. An average increase of 3.8 points on scores in cognitive planning skills was noted in kids who exercised 40 minutes a day for three months, the researchers found.
Children who exercised 20 minutes a day experienced smaller gains.
There were also improvements in math skills, but not reading ability. "The finding of improved math achievement is remarkable, given that no academic instruction was provided, and suggests that a longer intervention period may result in more benefit," the researchers said.
Commenting on the study, Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist, said: "Take a bunch of kids, put them outside, give them some balls, jump ropes and street chalk, and they will be running, jumping and playing hopscotch in no time."
They become happier, more energetic, smarter kids, she said.
"Children's bodies know intuitively that exercise is essential for healthy brain and body function. But when we deny children their natural instincts and allow them to stultify in front of a TV or computer, they become lethargic [and] moody," Heller said, adding that sedentary kids are also prone to being overweight and may do poorly in school.
"It seems a no-brainer to me that for kids' brains to be healthy, they should be encouraged to participate in regular exercise and given the time and place for it," Heller concluded. "We need to turn off the computers, TVs, cell phones and iPads and let kids do what they do naturally: Run around and play."
More information
For more information on kids and exercise, visit the Nemours Foundation.
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Thursday, February 10, 2011
Michelle Obama wows in a $35 H&M dress!
First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on the "Today" show yesterday to talk to Matt Lauer about a number of issues, including President Obama's job performance and the fact that he now has quit smoking. She also dispelled rumors that her husband dyes his grey hair and spoke about not letting her daughters on the social network site Facebook.
But, in the fashion world, the big news from Mrs. Obama's interview was her choice of dress. The first lady wore a breezy, feminine, polka-dot piece, not from some fancy big-name designer, but off-the-rack and available for $34.95 from Swedish company H&M.
The navy frock is part of the retail chain's current collection, which is in stores across the country now. Mrs. Obama's office said her stylist customized the look by adding three-quarter-length sleeves and pairing the dress with a bold orange belt (in lieu of its original red cloth sash) and bright yellow heels.
Though lately she's been making a splash in higher-end designs, like the Alexander McQueen gown she wore to a recent state dinner, Mrs. Obama is no stranger to bargain fashion. In the past, she's donned $10 t-shirts from the Gap, sundresses from Target and is known to favor mid-range chain stores like J.Crew.
It's also not the first time she's chosen a design by H&M. On the 2008
campaign trail, she famously pulled off a striped shift dress from the chain and paired it with a thick black belt, part of a signature look which was said to make her seem more accessible to many American women.
*Hip, Fabulous, and Sexy is what this first lady oozes. Take a note from "Michelle Obama" that you don't have to carry a bad "diva" attitude to be a "diva." This first lady is one fabulous lady and will be for years to come.*
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*Join The Conversation*
But, in the fashion world, the big news from Mrs. Obama's interview was her choice of dress. The first lady wore a breezy, feminine, polka-dot piece, not from some fancy big-name designer, but off-the-rack and available for $34.95 from Swedish company H&M.
The navy frock is part of the retail chain's current collection, which is in stores across the country now. Mrs. Obama's office said her stylist customized the look by adding three-quarter-length sleeves and pairing the dress with a bold orange belt (in lieu of its original red cloth sash) and bright yellow heels.
Though lately she's been making a splash in higher-end designs, like the Alexander McQueen gown she wore to a recent state dinner, Mrs. Obama is no stranger to bargain fashion. In the past, she's donned $10 t-shirts from the Gap, sundresses from Target and is known to favor mid-range chain stores like J.Crew.
It's also not the first time she's chosen a design by H&M. On the 2008
campaign trail, she famously pulled off a striped shift dress from the chain and paired it with a thick black belt, part of a signature look which was said to make her seem more accessible to many American women.
*Hip, Fabulous, and Sexy is what this first lady oozes. Take a note from "Michelle Obama" that you don't have to carry a bad "diva" attitude to be a "diva." This first lady is one fabulous lady and will be for years to come.*
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*Join The Conversation*
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
US commander: Special operations forces stressed!
The elite troops of U.S. special operations forces are showing signs of fraying after nearly 10 years at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, their commander said Tuesday.
Adm. Eric T. Olson says that while the number of special operations forces has doubled to about 60,000 over the last nine years, the total of those deployed overseas has quadrupled. Roughly 6,500 special operators are in Afghanistan and about 3,500 are in Iraq, although those numbers can vary as units move in and out of the war zone.
Olson said the demand for the specialized units in Afghanistan is insatiable, forcing troops to deploy to war at a rate that is off the charts. And he said he does not see that demand declining in the next several years.
As an example, he noted that while 100,000 regular forces have been pulled out of Iraq, leaving about 47,000 there, just 500 or so special operators were part of that withdrawal, which was just a fraction of the elite force there.
"Not on the same scale, but like the rest of the force we're seeing the indicators — pressure on duty, pressure off duty," Olson said at a conference in Washington. Even though the size of his special operations force has grown, they are being asked to do more, he said, "so we are, frankly, beginning to show some fraying around the edges that we are addressing."
Altogether, about 12,000 special operations forces are deployed, and those not in Iraq and Afghanistan are scattered in other hotspots around the globe, such as Yemen.
Olson said one sign of the strain is that more mid-grade forces are opting to leave service this year than in previous years. As much as 60 percent of his force, he said, joined in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and believe they were part of something important for the last eight or nine years.
"But what seems good for eight or 10 years, maybe doesn't seem as good looking ahead to 18 or 20 years," Olson said.
While the force and their families have proven to be resilient, he said leaders are now taking measures to address the emerging strains.
Officials, he said, are trying to increase training, make deployments more predictable, and stick to the schedules so there are fewer unexpected shifts.
In addition, he said they are working to educate families about what the forces do and what they can expect. And Special Operations Command is devoting more resources to programs for wounded and ill service members, he said.
The challenge, said Olson, is to stem the loss of the mid-grade troops, so that over the next 20 or 30 years the U.S. will still have a high-quality special operations force.
*In time of war, these issues will occur. The U.S. need to train more people to be in this elite group. Maybe then, they won't be so stressed if there were more manpower. However, in times of war your always going to encounter stress!*
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Adm. Eric T. Olson says that while the number of special operations forces has doubled to about 60,000 over the last nine years, the total of those deployed overseas has quadrupled. Roughly 6,500 special operators are in Afghanistan and about 3,500 are in Iraq, although those numbers can vary as units move in and out of the war zone.
Olson said the demand for the specialized units in Afghanistan is insatiable, forcing troops to deploy to war at a rate that is off the charts. And he said he does not see that demand declining in the next several years.
As an example, he noted that while 100,000 regular forces have been pulled out of Iraq, leaving about 47,000 there, just 500 or so special operators were part of that withdrawal, which was just a fraction of the elite force there.
"Not on the same scale, but like the rest of the force we're seeing the indicators — pressure on duty, pressure off duty," Olson said at a conference in Washington. Even though the size of his special operations force has grown, they are being asked to do more, he said, "so we are, frankly, beginning to show some fraying around the edges that we are addressing."
Altogether, about 12,000 special operations forces are deployed, and those not in Iraq and Afghanistan are scattered in other hotspots around the globe, such as Yemen.
Olson said one sign of the strain is that more mid-grade forces are opting to leave service this year than in previous years. As much as 60 percent of his force, he said, joined in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and believe they were part of something important for the last eight or nine years.
"But what seems good for eight or 10 years, maybe doesn't seem as good looking ahead to 18 or 20 years," Olson said.
While the force and their families have proven to be resilient, he said leaders are now taking measures to address the emerging strains.
Officials, he said, are trying to increase training, make deployments more predictable, and stick to the schedules so there are fewer unexpected shifts.
In addition, he said they are working to educate families about what the forces do and what they can expect. And Special Operations Command is devoting more resources to programs for wounded and ill service members, he said.
The challenge, said Olson, is to stem the loss of the mid-grade troops, so that over the next 20 or 30 years the U.S. will still have a high-quality special operations force.
*In time of war, these issues will occur. The U.S. need to train more people to be in this elite group. Maybe then, they won't be so stressed if there were more manpower. However, in times of war your always going to encounter stress!*
Diva's Nation
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Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Olbermann launching primetime Current TV show this spring!
Keith Olbermann will return to cable television this spring as host of a new primetime news and commentary show on Current TV.
"Nothing is more vital to a free America than a free media," Olbermann told reporters Tuesday. "And nothing is more vital to my concept of a free media than news that is produced independent of corporate interference."
Olbermann, who abruptly left MSNBC last month following high-profile battles with the network brass, will also take on a management role at Current, the public affairs network founded in 2005 by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt. The veteran broadcaster will be be chief news officer, a role that allows Olbermann to help shape the network's editorial programming.
Hiring Olbermann is a bold move for Current, which has struggled with its identity since launching as a mix of in-house programming and "pods"—short, viewer-generated videos. The network dropped the "pods" concept in 2009 amid other staff changes. (Current also partnered briefly with Yahoo! a few years back).
Now with Olbermann at the network—which also cut him in on some equity in the business—Current will boast one of the most recognizable liberal voices in media five nights a week.
Olbermann called the move to Current his "most exciting venture" in a decades-long television career that's included stops at CNN, ESPN, Fox Sports, and MSNBC (twice!). He described Current as "one of the fastest-growing television networks in history."
Current is available in 60 million households. Gore, on the conference call, suggested that Current has a larger potential audience than MSNBC had when Olbermann launched "Countdown" in 2003. (MSNBC, however, was available in over 78 million homes then and 95 million now). Current is also available in 15 million households outside the United States.
"We now live in a world with fewer and fewer opportunities to hear truly unique, truly unfettered voices on television," Gore said during the conference call, noting that Olbermann's voice is truly "unique."
Olbermann didn't hold back his political views on "Countdown," but he got into trouble in November after donating to three Democratic candidates in without alerting MSNBC's management. Those contributions led to a brief, November suspension that set the stage for his departure a couple months later.
Gore said that Olbermann, along with other Current employees, is free to contribute to political campaigns as long as the donations are disclosed.
Olbermann hits the air this spring, but Current didn't announce what time his show will air each night.
*Olberman a force to be reckoned with*
By: Diva's House
*Join The Conversation*
"Nothing is more vital to a free America than a free media," Olbermann told reporters Tuesday. "And nothing is more vital to my concept of a free media than news that is produced independent of corporate interference."
Olbermann, who abruptly left MSNBC last month following high-profile battles with the network brass, will also take on a management role at Current, the public affairs network founded in 2005 by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt. The veteran broadcaster will be be chief news officer, a role that allows Olbermann to help shape the network's editorial programming.
Hiring Olbermann is a bold move for Current, which has struggled with its identity since launching as a mix of in-house programming and "pods"—short, viewer-generated videos. The network dropped the "pods" concept in 2009 amid other staff changes. (Current also partnered briefly with Yahoo! a few years back).
Now with Olbermann at the network—which also cut him in on some equity in the business—Current will boast one of the most recognizable liberal voices in media five nights a week.
Olbermann called the move to Current his "most exciting venture" in a decades-long television career that's included stops at CNN, ESPN, Fox Sports, and MSNBC (twice!). He described Current as "one of the fastest-growing television networks in history."
Current is available in 60 million households. Gore, on the conference call, suggested that Current has a larger potential audience than MSNBC had when Olbermann launched "Countdown" in 2003. (MSNBC, however, was available in over 78 million homes then and 95 million now). Current is also available in 15 million households outside the United States.
"We now live in a world with fewer and fewer opportunities to hear truly unique, truly unfettered voices on television," Gore said during the conference call, noting that Olbermann's voice is truly "unique."
Olbermann didn't hold back his political views on "Countdown," but he got into trouble in November after donating to three Democratic candidates in without alerting MSNBC's management. Those contributions led to a brief, November suspension that set the stage for his departure a couple months later.
Gore said that Olbermann, along with other Current employees, is free to contribute to political campaigns as long as the donations are disclosed.
Olbermann hits the air this spring, but Current didn't announce what time his show will air each night.
*Olberman a force to be reckoned with*
By: Diva's House
*Join The Conversation*
Monday, February 7, 2011
Healthier Lifestyles May Prevent 340,000 U.S. Cancers a Year: Study!
(HealthDay News) -- About 340,000 cancer cases in the United States could be prevented each year if more Americans ate a healthy diet, got regular exercise and limited their alcohol intake, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
These types of lifestyle changes could lead to significant reductions in particularly common cancers such as breast (38 percent fewer cases per year), stomach (47 percent fewer) and colon (45 percent fewer).
The research about how a healthy lifestyle can reduce cancer risk was released Feb. 3 to mark World Cancer Day. The WCRF said its findings are supported by the World Health Organization's new Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, a report that says that regular physical activity can prevent many diseases, including breast and colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
"Physical activity is recommended for people of all ages as a means to reduce risks for certain types of cancers and other non-communicable diseases," Dr. Tim Armstrong, of WHO's Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, said in a WCRF news release.
"In order to improve their health and prevent several diseases, adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity throughout the week. This can be achieved by simply walking 30 minutes five times per week or by cycling to work daily," he advised.
Other healthy lifestyle habits that reduce the risk of cancer include quitting smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke, avoiding excessive sun exposure, and preventing cancer-causing infections, the WCRF said.
Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Each year, 12.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer and 7.6 million die from the disease. But 30 percent to 40 percent of cancers can be prevented and one-third can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment, according to the WCRF.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer prevention.
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These types of lifestyle changes could lead to significant reductions in particularly common cancers such as breast (38 percent fewer cases per year), stomach (47 percent fewer) and colon (45 percent fewer).
The research about how a healthy lifestyle can reduce cancer risk was released Feb. 3 to mark World Cancer Day. The WCRF said its findings are supported by the World Health Organization's new Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, a report that says that regular physical activity can prevent many diseases, including breast and colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
"Physical activity is recommended for people of all ages as a means to reduce risks for certain types of cancers and other non-communicable diseases," Dr. Tim Armstrong, of WHO's Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, said in a WCRF news release.
"In order to improve their health and prevent several diseases, adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity throughout the week. This can be achieved by simply walking 30 minutes five times per week or by cycling to work daily," he advised.
Other healthy lifestyle habits that reduce the risk of cancer include quitting smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke, avoiding excessive sun exposure, and preventing cancer-causing infections, the WCRF said.
Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Each year, 12.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer and 7.6 million die from the disease. But 30 percent to 40 percent of cancers can be prevented and one-third can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment, according to the WCRF.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer prevention.
Diva's Nation
*Join The Conversation*
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