Up
to 1 in 5 senior citizens may have PAD; Researchers conclude physicians should
recommend supervised treadmill exercise for PAD patients
Jan. 13, 2009 - Patients with peripheral arterial disease
(PAD), who participated in supervised treadmill exercise, improved their walking
endurance and quality of life, according to a study in the January 14 issue of
the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Thirty minutes of daily exercise comes with ease in
the garden
Dec.
30, 2008 – Gardening is an excellent way for senior citizens to meet the
exercise goals for older Americans set by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine – at
least when the weather is warm. Many seniors find it a good way to keep
their minds busy while benefiting from hours of vigorous activity.
Read more...
Other studies have shown exercise prevents cognitive
decline in the elderly
Dec.
1, 2008 - Older adults who exercise regularly show increased cerebral
blood flow and a greater number of small blood vessels in the brain,
according to findings presented today at the annual meeting of the
Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Read more...
Reduce heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer,
breast cancer and type 2 diabetes
Nov. 17, 2008 – Communities that promote physical
activity and a more active lifestyle for older people are succeeding in
a cost-effective way to reduce heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer,
breast cancer and type 2 diabetes, according to a study by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, with support from the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation.
Read more...
Ellen Prouty, 80, participates in a
strength-building study conducted by Dain LaRoche
Key to muscle power for seniors is to maintain it
over the lifespan rather than try to develop it later in life
Oct. 23, 2008 - Elderly women can increase muscle
strength as much as young women, a new study from the University of
New Hampshire finds, indicating that decline in muscle function is less
a natural part of the aging process than due to a decline in physical
activity. But, the senior citizens did not build power.
Read more...
The most active of these seniors – average age 68 -
also had a better chance of long-term recovery
Oct.
22, 2008 - A new study shows that senior citizens who are physically
active before suffering a stroke may have less severe problems as a
result and recover better compared to those who did not exercise before
having a stroke.
Read
more...
Adults – including senior citizens – need two and a
half hours a week of aerobic physical activity, says Health & Human
Services
Oct.
7, 2008 – Adults - even senior citizens – need two and a half hours a
week of moderate aerobic physical activity, which will return
substantial health benefits, according to the new Physical Activity
Guidelines for Americans, which were released today by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
Read
more...
Occupational therapy, exercise helps senior citizens
with hip and knee OA
Sept.
29, 2008 – A program conducted in a senior center and senior housing
units has found that osteoarthritis patients who engaged in “activity
strategy training” along with regular exercise increased their physical
activity, more so than those patients who only took part in exercise and
health education sessions.
Read
more...
People tend to lose muscle mass as they age but too
much may interfere with daily activities
Sept.
17, 2008 − A study using inactive overweight older people has found that
those in an exercise program for four months became more fit and burned
off more fat than those who only relied on a diet.
Read more...
New study offers hope to persons with osteoarthritis
who want to avoid the toll of surgery
Sept.
12, 2008 - A new study questioning the usefulness of arthroscopic
surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee should encourage patients to
consider physical therapy as an effective non-surgical option, according
to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). This is a common
problem for senior citizens and a recent study found about half will
suffer with osteoarthritis of the knee if they live until age 85.
Read
more...
Slowing Alzheimer’s by a year could prevent 9.2
million cases, as world prepares for 106 million victims by 2050
Sept.
2, 2008 – A study to be reported in the Journal of the American Medical
Association tomorrow says testing of older Americans with memory
problems, who participated in a home-based physical activity program,
shows they experienced modest improvement in cognitive function.
Read
more...
Obese have a significantly higher lifetime risk,
64.5% compared to 34.9% for normal weight, 44.1% for overweight
Sept. 2, 2008 – A new study has determined that
almost half of all U.S. adults will develop painful osteoarthritis of
the knee by age 85, but this problem mushrooms to almost two-thirds of
older people who are obese.
Read more...
Disability and survival curves continued to diverge
after the 21-year follow-up as participants approached their ninth
decade of life
Aug.
11, 2008 - Running throughout middle and older ages appears to be
associated with reduced disability in later life as well as a longer
life, according to a report in the August 11/25 issue of Archives of
Internal Medicine.
Read more...
Many benefits of exercise were not tested in recent
"exercise pill" study
Aug. 5, 2008 – The “exercise pill” hyped by a
report from researchers at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies
cannot be considered a replacement for exercise, says Frank Booth, a
University of Missouri expert on the science of inactivity. He says the
study focused on biology and its relation to health, but did not test
all the commonly known benefits of exercise.
Read more...
Women benefit more than men in at least in one
measurement
July 23, 2008 – Endurance exercise may lead to the
fountain of youth for the long-beating hearts of senior citizens. A new
study says inactive older people who did endurance exercise training for
about a year ended up with metabolically much younger hearts. The
researchers also showed that by one metabolic measure, women benefited
more than men from the training.
Read more...
UCLA researcher continues to find benefits for senior
citizens in 20-movement exercise
Tai Chi Chih developed
in 1974 by Justin Stone, who discusses it in this YouTube video
-
link in story
June 25, 2008 – Most senior citizens have sleeping
problems and most do nothing about it. UCLA researchers say the answer
is the Westernized version of a 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art, Tai
Chi Chih. From the same study, they had earlier determined this exercise
also significantly boosts the immune systems of older adults against the
virus that leads to the painful, blistery rash known as shingles.
Read
more...
Joins others finding interventions are effective in
increasing walking behaviors
June
18, 2008 - Need a boost to get off the couch? It is well established
that many – if not most – senior citizens are in dire need of such a
boost. But, maybe there is motivation for many in a new study showing
that a variety of interventions designed to promote walking can
effectively motivate individuals to initiate walking behaviors.
Read more...
MFit programs at U. Michigan promote physical
activity for seniors
June 9, 2008 - At 5:30 a.m., every Monday through
Thursday, you can find Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident Joan Weir waiting
for the Ann Arbor Ice Cube Fitness Center’s doors to open so she can
begin her regular workout regimen. Yet when asked why the 72 year old
likes to exercise, her response is simple: She doesn’t.
Read
more...link to video...
Study says it is possible to manage arthritis pain by
moving more
April 10, 2008 – It does not seem to make common
sense – to exercise when suffering with joint pain – but a recent study
in Arthritis Care and Research concludes that regular exercise is
an effective way to “significantly” improve and manage arthritis pain.
The study specifically measured results of the Arthritis Foundation
Exercise Program.
Read more...
Success achieved in anterior cruciate ligament repair
for Baby Boomers and older
March
5, 2008 - Baby boomers and Weekend warriors – Baby Boomers and senior
citizens - are staying active well into their later years, making them
susceptible to injuring those aging frames-especially vulnerable to
tearing their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A new study presented
today at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons (AAOS), found that “boomers” and patients up to age 66, who
undergo ACL surgery, are about as likely to return to pre-injury levels
of activity as much younger people.
Read more...
Bach Festival also happens as club hosts 22
hikes in western Oregon
Feb.
29, 2009 - The Obsidians outdoors club of Eugene, Oregon - mostly senior
citizens - has announced a schedule of 22 hikes for visitors to this
summer’s U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials and concurrent Oregon Bach
Festival. Outings include 12 coastal, forest and mountain hikes and 10
urban hikes, presenting visitors an introduction to both the natural
wonders of western Oregon and the unique attractions of Track Town, USA.
Read more...
Continuous physical activity, not intermittent
activity, is required to lower risk
Feb. 12, 2008 - Men with jobs that require them to
be physically active may be getting benefits beyond salary and health
insurance - they may be at a decreased risk of developing prostate
cancer, according to a study at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center. There are
many senior citizens who are retired, which may give them an even better
opportunity for daily physical activity.
Read more...
Researchers also evaluated the usefulness of PDAs
in modifying dietary behavior
By ALISSA POH
Feb. 6, 2008 - Today’s younger generation may
reckon that “ne’er the twain shall meet” where technology and their
elders are concerned. However, ongoing research by Abby King, PhD,
professor of health research and policy and of medicine at the Stanford
Prevention Research Center, appears to be gradually dispelling that
notion. Read
more...
Or, sedentary lifestyles leads to accelerated aging
process
Jan. 29, 2008 - Individuals who are physically
active during their leisure time appear to be biologically younger than
those with sedentary lifestyles, according to a report in the January 28
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals.
Read more....
Study of Older Adults Shows Cholesterol May Pose
Benefits
Jan. 18, 2008-- If you're worried about high
cholesterol levels and keeping heart-healthy as you get older, don't
push aside bacon and eggs just yet. A new study says they might actually
provide a benefit. Lower cholesterol levels can actually reduce muscle
gain with exercising, according to a study from Texas A&M University.
Read more...
African-American women reap the greatest benefits
with moderate physical activity.
Jan. 3, 2008 – One thing as certain as the new
year, is the certainty of more research showing that exercise is
extremely beneficial for aging women, beginning with menopause. A new
study says a brisk walk can reduce a variety of psychological symptoms
such as anxiety, stress and depression.
Read more...
Dec. 27, 2007 - It is rare for any health advice
targeting senior citizens to not mention the importance of exercise –
the tonic for healthy aging. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
says not enough advice on how to make the necessary lifestyle changes
for a new fitness or physical activity regime is aimed at older adults.
The ICAA has prepared 20 tips for those 50 and older on how to get
started. Read
more...
Rate of Metabolic Syndrome reduced by walking 11
miles a week
“…
short period of very vigorous exercise didn't improve their MetS
scores as much as those who performed less intense exercise a
longer period.”
Dec. 17, 2007 – One of the things senior citizens
do not want to have is a new buzz-word condition called “MetS.” That
stands for metabolic syndrome, an increasingly frequent condition linked
to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. A new study says just a little bit
of brisk walking is enough to cut the risk of MetS, and to trim the
waistline. Read
more...
Participants were 70 to 89, couch potatoes,
physically disabled
Dec. 17, 2007 – Scientific studies continue to
prove that older people – even in their eighties – can improve their
lives with regular exercise. In the latest study the elderly
participants were also couch potatoes with serious health problems.
Read more...
Many of the participating adults in the study were
over age 55
By Tracie White
Dec.
8, 2007 - Computer-generated phone calls may be an effective, low-cost
way to encourage sedentary adults to exercise, according to a recent
study by researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine.
Read more...
Study finds fitness level is a stronger predictor
of longevity that body fat for older adults
Dec. 4, 2007 – Weight gain is often associated with
aging and many senior citizens in good physical condition have assumed
the worse about their health as the pounds continued to climb despite
long-term rigorous exercise. A new study has brightened their day,
however, with the discovery that adults over age 60 with high levels of
cardiorespiratory fitness live longer than unfit adults, regardless of
their body fat. Read
more...
Pedometer users increased their physical activity by
26.9 percent
Nov. 28, 2007 – An easy way to decrease your body
mass index and blood pressure is to use a pedometer – especially with a
daily step goal – which will motivate you to significantly increase your
physical activity. An article in the Journal of the American Medical
Association says the evidence from several studies shows participants
will walk about an additional mile a day.
Read more...link to
video...
Two studies seem to prove that aging does not
necessarily mean sedentary lifestyle
Nov. 16, 2007 – Too many senior citizens assume
that becoming inactive - sitting around doing not much of anything most
of the time - is just what happens with getting older. Two research
reports out this month seem to prove this is just not true – life can be
different with changing our mindset and, the second study finds, we will
live longer if we just walk a little faster.
Read more...
Rats on restricted calorie diet had
significantly higher physical performance
Oct.
31, 2007 – Although research has well established that a healthy diet is
very beneficial to longevity, scientist say in a new study they have
proven for the first time that severely restricting calories not only
leads to a longer life, it also maintains physical fitness into advanced
age. Read
more...
Half with knee injury will later go on to develop
osteoarthritis
Oct.
22, 2007 - A new clinical trial seeks to predict who is most likely to
experience osteoarthritis, and to test whether an experimental treatment
can prevent it altogether.
Read more...
Rising from a chair and standing on one leg is
enough to help
Oct. 17, 2007 – It is not only the embarrassment of
being unsteady on your feet as you get older, but there is the increase
in the risk of a devastating fall for a senior citizen. Although many
studies have indicated that exercise can help the elderly maintain
balance, a new review of 34 studies confirms this to be true. Exercise
does help people stay steady on their feet in later years, when
diminished balance can put older people at risk of falls.
Read more...
Almost all senior citizens afflicted by age 70 with
this chronic disease
Oct. 17, 2007 - For patients suffering from
osteoarthritis of the hip or knee – primarily senior citizens - doing
aerobic and stretching exercises in warm water can bring some relief
from the pain and could improve daily function, a new review of research has found.
Read more...
Study of physical activity impact on knee joint
says exercise for heart is what's needed for knee
Sept. 8, 2007 – Physical exercise that is good for
the heart, is also good for the older person’s knee, says research
published in the October 2007 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Sporting events for senior citizens sometimes looks like a gathering of
mechanical robots, with all the gear and wrapping around their knees and
other joints. It is osteoarthritis, however, that too often causes
disability among those over age 50 but this study says vigorous exercise
may prevent the problem.
Read more...
Best results in blood sugar control is combined
aerobic and resistance exercise
Sept. 18, 2007 – A combination of aerobic exercise
and resistance training was the best help for people with type 2
diabetes on improving blood sugar control, according to the results of a
new study. Diabetes is a major chronic disease among senior citizens and
adults up to age 70 were included in this study.
Read more...
1995 recommendations updated for seniors and
younger adults
Aug. 6, 2007 – New recommendations for the physical
activity senior citizens need to improve and maintain health were
released last week from a joint effort of the American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) and American Heart Association (AHA) to update the 1995
recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and ACSM. A set was also released for younger adults.
Read more...
Hybrid exercise combines walking with cross country
skiing for physical, psychological benefits for aging population
July 21, 2007 - At 5’9” and 285 pounds, Bob
Saunders battled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint pain, low
energy and a host of other obesity-related symptoms. “I was dragging
around, ready to call it quits,” says the 68-year-old Saunders, whose
doctor warned him that his life was at risk.
Read more...
Factors differ from long-term problems for older
people, more severe tears
July 17, 2007 – Women and people with
osteoarthritis do not recover as quickly from arthroscopic knee surgery,
according to new research. These people are not associated with poor
long-term recovery, which impacts those of advanced age, larger tears
and larger tissue removal. The study was released Saturday at the 2007
Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
Read more...
American Heart Association updates previous 2000 opinion
July 17 – Once taboo for people with heart problems, resistance weight
training actually has significant benefits for people with
cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to an American Heart Association
scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the
American Heart Association.
Read more...
Drivers committed 37 percent fewer critical
errors after training
June 5, 2007 – One answer to improving driving
skills in senior citizens may be exercise. Older people who performed a
physical conditioning program developed by researchers at Yale School of
Medicine were able to maintain or enhance their driving performance,
potentially leading to a safer and more independent quality of life.
Read more...
After training the strength of the older adults
improved about 50%
May 30,2007 - Not only does exercise make most
people feel better and perform physical tasks better, it now appears
that exercise – specifically, resistance training -- actually
rejuvenates muscle tissue in healthy senior citizens. It is one of two
studies released this month proving the ability of exercise to ward off
the debilitating effects of aging.
Read
more...
Crucial muscle-building insulin response restored
with a 45-minute walk
May 30, 2007 - Why do older people tend to lose
muscle mass and grow frail? One important factor identified by medical
science is the reduced ability of the elderly to respond to the
muscle-building stimulus of the hormone insulin. New research, however,
shows this drop in insulin response in senior citizens can be modified
by just moderate aerobic exercise.
Read more...
It just takes 72 minutes a week and you get a
smaller waist, too
May 15, 2007 -
Just small amounts of physical
activity, approximately 75 minutes a week, can help improve the fitness
levels for postmenopausal women who are sedentary and overweight or
obese, according to a study in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the
American Medical Association. The women in the study also reduced
waist circumference, although there was no significant weight loss.
Read more...
Ability to convert food into muscle proteins
decreases with age
May 9, 2007 – Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil
have been found to benefit senior citizens in many areas associated with
aging. Now, researchers have added one more - a big one. It appears to
prevent the loss of muscle mass, which is the cause of many problems for
the elderly.
Read more...
Aging adds pounds with years, just less with
exercise; good cholesterol does go up
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
May 4, 2007 – The lead sentence on the news release
says, "People who maintain a vigorously active lifestyle as they age
gain less weight than people who exercise at more moderate levels."
Well, I'm not sure anyone needs a study to tell them this. But, it does
contain some depressing news about aging – even if you run 30 miles a
week for seven years you are still going to gain weight. Gaining weight,
for the majority of us, is just going to happen. Adding years means
adding pounds. Read
more...
Even on high-fat diet normal mice were resistant to
weight gain
April
30, 2007 – Imagine taking a drug that causes your body to start burning
fat as if you were taking part in vigorous exercise. It may not be ready
for humans but a scientist says he has achieved this amazing result with
mice. His hope is it will lead to prevent obesity and the health
consequences for so many senior citizens, such as heart disease, high
blood pressure and diabetes.
Read more...
New paper urges doctors to play role in getting
patients active
Walk around
block 2 times per day.....Your Doc
April 5, 2007 – Some senior citizens may soon be
getting a written prescription from their doctor that won't cost them or
Medicare a nickel to fill. It will just take a little effort and
determination. Two physicians have written a paper urging other doctors
to prescribe exercise for inactive patients. The paper also presents
some ideas for making it easier for patients to get started.
Read more...
UCLA study finds significant increase in immune
system
March 23, 2007 – Didn't get your shingles
vaccination? Maybe tai chi chih will provide the protection you need
from the painful, blistery rash of shingles. A new UCLA study says the
Westernized version of this 2,000-year-old martial art significantly
boosts the immune systems of older adults against the virus. Tai chi
chih is characterized by slow movement and meditation.
Read more...
Newsweek focuses on ‘Health for Life – Exercise and
the Brain’
'No matter your age, it seems, a strong, active
body is crucial for building a strong, active mind.' Newsweek
March 19, 2007 - A recent and rapidly growing
movement in science is showing that exercise can make people smarter,
Newsweek reports in the current issue. Last week, in a landmark paper,
researchers announced that they had coaxed the human brain into growing
new nerve cells, a process that for decades had been thought impossible,
simply by putting subjects on a three-month aerobic-workout regimen.
Read more...
MRI imaging at Columbia provides first observation of
new nerve cells
March
19, 2007 – A researcher that focuses on Alzheimer’s disease and the
aging brain is the lead author of a newly released study that proves
exercise actually creates new nerve cells in the area of the brain that
affects age-related memory decline.
Read more...
Feb. 26, 2007 – The second massive study finding
strenuous physical activity can help women – even senior citizens –
increase their resistance to invasive breast cancer by more than 20
percent was published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of
the JAMA/Archives journals. Over 125,000 women were studied in the two
research projects and included women up to 79 years of age.
Read more...
Researchers say it's never too late to start active
lifestyle
Feb. 15, 2007 – It makes no difference how old you
are, researchers say six or more hours per week of strenuous
recreational activity may reduce the risks of invasive breast cancer by
23 percent. Their report in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology
Biomarkers & Prevention, based on a survey of over 15,000 women, shows
that exercise has a protective effect against invasive breast cancer
throughout a woman’s lifetime.
Read more...
Older people know value of exercise but slow to start
Feb. 12, 2007 – Virtually every senior citizen –
people age 65 and older – knows that exercise is extremely beneficial in
building and maintaining healthy bodies and minds. Yet, most fail to do
it. Just getting started may be the biggest hurdle, but the medical
director of the senior care facility claiming to house more 90-year olds
than any other, has ten easy steps that he finds are working to get
older people out of bed and moving.
Read more...
Can be done safely without concerns
they
will develop OA
January 31, 2007 – Senior citizens who have ducked
exercise because, they say, they fear developing osteoarthritis in their
knees seem to have lost this excuse. A long-term study of older people
has found that exercise does not increase the risk of OA in the knee,
although obesity does.
Read more...
Vigorous training works better to halt aging than
moderate levels
January 29, 2007 – Fitness training – an increased
level of exercise - may improve some mental processes even more than
moderate activity, say the authors of the review of exercise and its
effect on brain functioning in human and animal populations. They also
found that physical exercise may slow aging’s effects and help people
maintain cognitive abilities well into older age.
Read more...
Senior citizens increasingly turn to exercise,
healthy diet as keys to rejuvenation
January 16, 2007 – Senior citizens are increasingly
turning to exercise and healthier diets in an attempt to regain the vim
and vigor of younger years. Many fail in this quest due to frustration,
which may be due to misconceptions and bad information that floats
around gyms, the Internet and even senior centers.
Read more...
Physical activity reduces body fat, the major
source of estrogen in postmenopausal women
December 12, 2006 – Older women – post menopause -
with higher levels of physical activity may have a reduced risk of
breast cancer, according to a report in the December 11/25 issue of
Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The
association appears to be stronger for estrogen receptor
positive/progesterone receptor negative tumors (which are typically more
aggressive) than for other types of breast cancer tumors.
Read more...
Almost half who have lung cancer surgery smoke
again in a year, says another study
December 11, 2006 - A new study shows about half
the smokers who had surgery to remove early stage lung cancers were
smoking again within a year. Some also continued to smoke after their
diagnosis right up to the day of their surgery. It's a tough addiction
to break. But there is also good news in another new study: a high level
of physical activity in women smokers reduced their relative risk of
developing lung cancer by 72 percent. The lowest risks were seen in
former smokers who had moderate or high activity levels. The study,
however, strongly cautions that any exercise benefit is dwarfed by the
benefits gained from quitting smoking.
Read more...
Goal of study is prevention - keeping people out
of nursing homes
November 22, 2006 - On your mark, get set, go!
Senior citizens who acquaint themselves with that well-known mantra may
live more independent lives, according to new research. "Exercise is one
way of having a huge impact on our aging population," says lead
researcher Abby King.
Read more...
Walking at a moderate intensity 150
minutes a week, leg stretches, balance exercises and leg-strengthening
did the trick
November 17, 2006 – Even if you have passed 70,
even if you passed 80, and you are what is called "sedentary" (tending to
sit most of the time and getting little exercise), there is still hope
to improve your physical functioning and reduce the likelihood of
becoming disabled in the future. This is according to a new study of
elderly people ages 70 to 89.
Read more...
Results are from research that is part of NIH-funded
longevity study
November 8, 2006 – You are getting older. You see
many of your friends suffering with diabetes. You know it is one of the
leading causes of premature death. What is the best way to avoid it –
exercise of diet?
Read more...
24 studies find effective weight-loss
needs
exercise and diet
By Taunya English, Science Writer, Health Behavior
News Service
October 27, 2006 - If you’re overweight and hoping
to shed pounds, but still regularly indulging in french fries — don’t
count on exercise to salvage your weight-loss efforts. To truly slim
down, obese and overweight people need to watch what they eat and get
moving, according to a new analysis of weight-loss trials dating back to
1985. Read more...
High BMI, low physical-activity equals estrogen 50%
to 100% higher
October 9, 2006 - Postmenopausal women who want to
significantly decrease their breast-cancer risk would be wise to
exercise regularly and keep their weight within a normal range for their
height, according to new findings from the Women's Health Initiative to
be published in the journal Obesity.
Read more...
Less than half report ever getting
suggestion to exercise from doc
October 8, 2006 – Some experts on aging nutrition
are recommending that doctors begin writing prescriptions for exercise
for older people. The rationale is that senior citizens are accustomed
to getting prescriptions from their doctor and using the familiar
concept of a prescription to help physicians incorporate exercise
recommendations into their routine practice will convince more to take
action. Read more...
Women in clinical
trial did not have the same positive results
September
13, 2006 – Men who are up for at least four hours of moderate-to-vigorous
aerobic exercise a week can significantly reduce their risk of colon
cancer, says a report from the first randomized clinical trial to test
the effect of exercise on colon-cancer biomarkers in colon tissue. The
results for women were less certain. Senior citizens are the most
vulnerable to this disease, with nine of ten cases found in people age
50 and older. Read
more...
All under 85, even with incomes 6 times poverty
level, much more likely to report functional limitations than wealthiest group
August 21, 2006 – "Sometimes life just beats you
down," may be more fact than excuse. If you are old and poor, you are
also far more likely to feel limited in doing basic physical activities
– climbing stairs, lifting objects – than are your wealthier peers. The
Americans in this study were both boomers and senior citizens ages 55 to 84. The study also finds that
people 55 to 64, who are living below the poverty level, are six times
more likely than the wealthiest group to say they have functional
limitations. Read
more...
Study finds Body Mass Index not the best indicator
of mortality
August 8, 2006 - Older people with high waist-hip
ratios (WHRs) have a higher mortality risk than those with a high body
mass index, or BMI, a new study reveals. This sheds further light on the
controversial reports about obesity in the elderly and its relationship
as a cause of death. Waist Hip Ratio is calculated by dividing your
waist measurement by your hip measurement. (Read more about WHR below
news story.) Read
more...
Five-year study shows exercise decreased fat cells
by 18 percent
August 7, 2006 – Middle-aged women who participated
in a recent study found that it takes more than diet to reduce the size
of abdominal fat cells – exercise should be added to the program. These
mid-body fat cells are a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease.
Read more...
Features fitness, strength training, brain
stimulation and even driving
August 4, 2006 – Older Americans – those over 50,
to be exact – can look forward to a fitness and wellness center designed
especially for their needs. Not only can participants improve their level
of mental and physical fitness, but they can also resurrect their
driving skills at the new "Nifty after Fifty." The first franchise has
opened in Whittier, California.
Read more...
Older adults who expend more energy through any
daily activity live longer than less active elderly
July 11, 2006 – You may be old – even in your 70s
or 80s – and just cannot make yourself exert the energy for regular
exercise, but there is still hope for a longer life, says a new study,
if you just expend more energy through daily activity, even non-exercise
activity. Read
more...
Women lose 10 to 15% of muscle mass between 20 and
50, then the decline accelerates: resistance exercise can help
July 8, 2006 – With the increase in longevity,
women now live about a third of their lives after menopause and in an
estrogen-depleted state. At has been believed that menopause plays a
part in the loss of muscle mass in aging women. And, it is known
inactivity can accelerate loss of muscle mass and strength as women age.
A University of Missouri-Columbia researcher studied the effect of
inactivity combined with the loss of estrogen and was surprised to find
the real culprit is loss of estrogen.
Read more...
May 2, 2006 – Elderly people, who cannot walk 400
meters, or about a quarter mile, may not be here to try it six years
from now and may suffer considerable illness and disability during that
time, according to a study of senior citizens ages 70 through 79.
Walking fitness makes a significant difference in predicting the
likelihood of future disability in the elderly, according to a study
published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Once begun, people
tend to stick with walking programs
May 1, 2006 - Walking isn’t such a difficult thing
– most of us have been doing it since we were very young. But starting
and maintaining a regular walking program can be daunting, especially
for senior citizens, even though the benefits have been well documented.
Read more...
Training program may reverse underlying
abnormalities more effectively than drug treatment
April 27, 2006 - Aerobic training is generally
accepted as a path to feeling and functioning better for heart failure
patients. A new study says this works because of a reversal of abnormal hormonal patterns that underlie many of the
debilitating symptoms of heart failure.
Read more...
By Kelly
Griffin, Contributing Writer Health Behavior News Service
April 20, 2006 - People with arthritis don’t
exercise enough, and more than a third of adults with arthritis don’t
exercise at all, according to a study in the May issue of American
Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Read more...
Cumulative muscle
injury may contribute to the loss of muscle mass as we grow old
April 3, 2006 - If you're a mouse, then stretching
before you exercise is a good thing – even as long as two weeks before
your next cheese hunt or cat run. But if you're a senior citizen reading
this for yourself, it's a bit more complicated.
Read more...
March 21, 2006 - Sudden cardiac death during
exertion is an extremely rare occurrence in women, and regular moderate
to vigorous exercise may significantly lower the long-term risk,
according to a study in the March 22-29 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on
women’s health. Thousands of women, including senior citizens, were
studied over 28 years.
Read more...
Declines in exercise capacity may be due
to lack of training, not just aging
March 7, 2006 – Senior citizens, gasping
for air and cursing their aging legs, watch with envy the young adults
on the fitness center treadmills around them that never break a sweat or
take a deep breath, but just jog along casually reading a magazine or
watching television. Oh, to be young again, the seniors mourn.
Researchers say they can improve this miss-match for seniors with just a
little training. Read
more...
Anxiety restricts blood flow in some patients – more
than assumed
March 7, 2006 - The fear of public speaking might
cause some people to do more than just break out in a cold sweat and
battle stomach-churning butterflies - it could prove to have
consequences for their heart health. University of Florida cardiologists have identified
a group of heart disease patients who appear especially vulnerable to
the physical effects of mental stress.
Read more...
The same does not hold
true for older men or younger adults
Feb. 24, 2006 - As a group, older women lead the
ranks of "too-sedentary" Americans, but a new study suggests that those
who are religious are also more observant about keeping active in old
age. Interestingly, this does not apply to older men.
Read more...
Study confirms earlier finds on value
of weight exercise, calcium citrate
Feb. 2, 2006 – Researchers have once again looked
at the Bone Estrogen Strength Training (BEST) Study at The University of
Arizona – a landmark study on how strength training affects changes in
bone density in postmenopausal women. The most recent study confirms the
findings that a specific regimen of weight-bearing and resistance
exercises, combined with calcium citrate supplement over four years,
provided significant improvement in bone mineral density (BMD) at key
skeletal sites, whether or not the women were on hormone therapy (HT).
Read more...
Jan.
22, 2006- A common complaint by senior citizens is how much longer it
takes for injuries and wounds to heal as we get older. The body’s
ability to heal even small skin wounds is one of those things that slows
as we age. A new study, however, finds that regular exercise by older
adults may speed up the wound-healing process by as much as 25 percent.
Read more...
‘Easy Does It!’ Exercise Creator Craig Marcacci says
elderly can do it
Jan. 1, 2006 -- It’s an annual routine…making
resolutions about diet, exercise, attitude and fitness, only to let them
slip away and be forgotten, usually within a month or so. But physical
fitness trainer Craig Marcacci, developer of the innovative ‘Easy Does
It!’ exercise program for seniors, says that doesn’t have to be the
case. Read more...
Stress reduction and diet also cited as helping
memory
Dec. 12, 2005 – A study released today says senior
citizens can not only improve their aging bodies with exercise but that
by adding memory exercises to their routine they can also preserve their
memory. Read
more...
Developer says it is doctor approved and has been
used for over 10 years
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
Nov. 19, 2005 – We publish so many reports on the
benefits of exercise for senior citizens that we are firmly convinced it
is a critical element of healthy aging. So, we do not want to pass up
the opportunity to inform are older readers about a new fitness video,
which the producer claims is the first ever weight training program for
those age 65 and older.
Read more...
Nov. 11, 2005 – A new study has found that
previously sedentary senior citizens who incorporated exercise into
their lifestyles not only improved physical function, but experienced
psychological benefits as well.
Read more...
New report, 'Move it or Lose it,' starts three-year
lifestyle campaign
Oct. 20, 2005 – Today is World Osteoporosis Day and
the International Osteoporosis Foundation is placing the emphasis on the
value of exercise in building strong bones. To recognize the event, the
organization today released online a new publication – “Move it or Lose
it: How exercise helps to build and maintain strong bones, prevents
falls and fractures and speed rehabilitation.”
Read more...
Oct. 11, 2005 - Individuals who were obese at
midlife had an increased risk for dementia later in life compared to
individuals of normal weight, according to an article in the October
issue of the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Walking briskly for 12 miles a week sufficient for
heart health
Oct. 10, 2005 – A new study confirms indications
from earlier research that it is not necessary to engage in vigorous
exercise to make significant improvement in aerobic fitness and reduce
the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s the amount of exercise one gets
in a week that makes the difference, says a study of baby boomers and
young seniors - ages 40 to 65.
Read more...
Oct. 4, 2005 – A new study published today adds to
the growing evidence that exercise – particularly if it starts early and
is maintained over time - is beneficial in preventing dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease. The new study focused on the physical activity
levels of older people when they were middle aged and concludes being
physically active in midlife can significantly decrease the risk of
dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Read more...
Older adult fitness, sports offered by more Ys as
seniors booms
Sept. 26, 2005 – Senior citizens 65 and older now
represent the fastest-growing category of YMCA membership, which has
reached 20.1 million, according to data released today. As the country's
demographics shift and nearly 78 million baby boomers begin to enter
their 60s, YMCAs' programs for older adults are growing rapidly. In 2004
fifty-six percent of Ys offered Older Adult Fitness, the number of YMCAs
offering Older Adult Sports increased 95.7 percent and 1044 Ys offered
arthritis aquatics classes.
Read more...
Indiana University researchers
design program for older
people to improve balance
Sept. 20, 2005 - Balance has less to do with
strength and everything to do with an elderly person's ability to get
around and live independently. Yet, few people in their later years
think to practice balancing -- until it's too late. A study at Indiana
University Bloomington has produced a balance improvement program that
can be done at home.
Read more...
Study says dramatic reduction occurs regardless of
cholesterol level, age
Sept. 2, 2005 - Being physically fit can
dramatically reduce men’s deaths from heart disease – even when their
cholesterol rates are high, according to a Canadian study that included
men up to 79 years of age. Researchers, say, the reduction is as much as
50 percent, regardless of their cholesterol level.
Read more...
Good lifestyle habits reduce risk of periodontal
disease; just one more thing on list of benefits
Aug. 23, 2005 – Senior citizens and baby boomers
are pounded with advice saying that with exercise and a healthy diet
their mental and physical health is substantially improved. Now, a new
study says that even oral health is better. The exercise-and-eat-right
lifestyle, the study says, can reduce periodontal disease, the main
cause of loss of teeth.
Read more...
Aug. 10, 2005 - Of nearly 3,000 seniors studied,
those who exercised stayed healthier than their couch potato peers, but
those born with a certain gene benefited the most from physical
activity, said Marco Pahor, M.D., director of University of Florida's
Institute on Aging and the senior author of a multi-institutional study.
Genes keep elderly people from benefiting equally from exercise, no
matter how much effort they expend, the study says.
Read more...
Oldest women in groundbreaking study with poor
exercise capacity were most likely to die
Aug. 5, 2005 - Women who score less than 85 percent
of their age predicted exercise capacity on an exercise stress test have
a two times greater risk for serious heart problems and
death, say researchers, who have also designed a simple chart (nomogram)
women can use to interpret their exercise capacity, based on normal
values for their age. The women in the study over 70 years of age with
poor exercise capacity had an especially high mortality. Interestingly,
the other high mortality group were the youngest – those under 55. Read more...
July 26, 2005 – A new study says earlier
assumptions about the rate of decline in aerobic capacity for senior
citizens under-estimated the rate of decline. Their research says the
decline in peak treadmill oxygen consumption accelerates markedly with
each successive decade of age, especially in men, regardless of physical
activity habits. In short: exercise does not appear to slow the loss of
aerobic capacity, which is critical in the ability of older people to
function independently. Read more...
June
27, 2005 – A new study confirms what has been reported by other researchers
since 1996 – Tai Chi, a martial arts form that enhances balance and body
awareness through slow, graceful and precise body movements, can improve
balance, build strength and reduce the risk of falls in the elderly. Read more...
June 9, 2005 – Even for older senior citizen, lack
of exercise increases the risk of future problems with climbing stairs
or even walking, according to research published in the Journal of the
American Geriatrics Society. Read more...
May 27, 2005 – A medical study of elderly men and
women over age 75 concludes what ballroom dance fans have always known -
their favorite activity is great for health and happiness. The
complexity and moving with the music lower the risk of dementia, the
researchers say. Read more...
Expert says avoiding exercise is wrong thing to do
May 26, 2005 - Most patients still believe
something other than exercise is the most effective non-drug treatment
for osteoarthritis, according to a new poll. One expert says avoiding
exercise is the wrong thing to do. Read more...
May 25, 2005 – New research says late Boomers and
Senior Citizens – those 55 to 75 - can sustain and maybe improve bone
mass with a moderate exercise program. The researchers say their results
debunk the myth that exercising to lose excess body fat, unlike
dieting alone, comes at a cost to bone health. Read more...
Erickson Seniors Achieve 95,477 Minutes of Exercise
in One Day
May 19, 2005 – In what may have been the largest
one day senior citizen exercise program ever, the residents of the
eleven Erickson campuses for people age 62 or older achieved 95,477
minutes of exercise on one May day. Read more...
Senior Citizens Least Likely to Exercise; They Fear
Injury
Women Baby Boomers are most like to turn to physical
exercise
May 5, 2005 – In a study of older adults, senior
citizens 56 and older were the least likely to turn to physical exercise
in their free time, while boomer age women were the most likely to turn
to exercise. The seniors fear injury or illness, say the researchers. Read more...
Strength Training Is an Antidote to Muscle Loss In
Elderly
By Rosalie Marion Bliss
May 4, 2005 - Resistance or "strength" training has
repeatedly been shown to be a safe and effective method of reversing
sarcopenia, or muscle loss, in the elderly. The condition actually
starts around age 45, when muscle mass begins to decline at a rate of
about 1 percent per year. Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research
Service (ARS)
have been studying the factors involved in gradual muscle loss since
1988. Read more...
New Study Adds to Evidence that Exercise Slows
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
April 26, 2005 - The new research demonstrates
that long-term physical activity enhances the learning ability of mice
and decreases the level of plaque-forming beta-amyloid protein
fragments - a hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) - in
their brains. This is the latest of several studies in recent years
claiming exercise can slow Alzheimer’s and dementia. (For other studies
see box on left.) Read more...
Small Swim-in-Place Pools May Offer Answer to Better
Fitness for Senior Citizens
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
April
11, 2005 - Swimming is a popular fitness activity for many senior
citizens, because it provides
good aerobic exercise without the high
impact and joint stress of running or jogging. It also helps them
control their weight. A drawback, however, has been the lack of a pool.
We can run or jog anywhere but finding a place to swim laps or do
aquatic aerobics is often challenging. An answer for many may be
the Endless Pool, a counter-current swimming and water exercise machine
that is small enough to fit inside a home. Read more...
Senior
Citizen Athletes Find Joints Paying the Price
Older Americans are storming gyms, sports arenas like
people half their age
March 31, 2005 - Charles Witke is an avid walker,
dog trainer and gym member intent on staying in shape by being active
every day. And at age 73, he’s doesn’t let anything – including
arthritis or a shoulder injury – slow him down. Read more...
According to racehorses
Regular Exercise Helps Protect Muscles In Elderly
From Soreness, Injury
March 23, 2005 - Researchers now have the physical
evidence to show why it's important for older people to exercise. And it
comes with the discovery that, in aging racehorses, regular aerobic
workouts decreased the prevalence of muscle damage that can be caused by
exertion. Read
more...
Two Recent Studies
Exercise Proves Valuable in Lowering Risk for
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
March 15, 2005 – Two of the diseases most feared by
senior citizens – Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – may be prevented or
slowed by exercise, according to two recent studies. The Alzheimer’s
study showed that middle-aged people taking regular exercise at least
twice a week could reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease
by 50 percent. The Parkinson’s study found that men who exercised
regularly and vigorously early in their adult life lowered risk for
Parkinson's by as much as 60 percent.
Read more...
Fitness American Style II Study
Older Americans See Obesity as Social Problem; Young
Say It Is Healthcare Problem
Sports Club Sponsors of Study Think Americans Do Not
Have Clear View of Situation
March 15, 2005 - Older Americans are more likely to
say obesity is a social problem, while younger generations are more
likely to say it is a healthcare problem. This suggests that, in the
future, obesity will be addressed directly with medical treatment,
according to the authors of a national study released today.
Read more...
Best, Cheapest Retirement Investment for Baby
Boomers? Exercise!
By Ellen Freudenheim Author of
Looking
Forward: An Optimist's Guide to Retirement
Jan. 21, 2005 - People are always
talking about investments for retirement. Financial investments,
that is. If you start treating your health as an investment,
though, you could find that exercise is a terrific retirement strategy
worth its weight in gold.
Read more...
Lifestyle Changes by Seniors Especially Effective at
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
New Awareness Campaign Says “It’s Not Too Late” to
Prevent the Disease
Jan.
19, 2005 – Studies show that while adults over 60 are at increased risk
for type 2 diabetes, losing a small amount of weight and increasing
physical activity is especially effective in reducing that risk among
this age group. About 40 percent of adults ages 40 to 74 — or 41 million
people — have pre-diabetes, a condition that raises a person’s risk for
developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Read more...
Older Men Show Less Cognitive Decline by Maintaining
Physical Activity
Dec. 28, 2004 - Longer and more intense physical
activity may help people maintain their cognitive skills as they age,
according to a 10-year study of elderly men published in the December
28, 2004 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American
Academy of Neurology. More...
12/28/04*
Medicare Costs
Skyrocket for People Obese in Middle Age
Dec. 8, 2004 – There
is a cost to being obese in middle age – it comes when you get older and
Medicare has to pay it. For severely obese men, for example, a new study
says Medicare will have to pay 84 percent more than for a man who was of
normal weight. More...
12/08/04*
Nov. 23, 2004 - Women who are obese throughout life
are more likely to lose brain tissue, which is linked to cognitive
decline, according to a study published today in the November 23 issue
of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of
Neurology. More...
11/23/04*
Senior Citizens Ignore Need for Exercise and Health
Diet
Nov. 22, 2004 – Senior citizens continue to ignore
professional advice on the need for exercise and a health diet,
according to the third annual State of Aging and Health in America
Report released today.
More... 11/22/04*
BEST Study
Demonstration On How Older Women Reduced
Osteoporosis Risk With Exercise, Calcium
Surgeon General's bone health report spurs action
Nov.
17, 2004 – A study completed in 2001 is getting new attention since the
U.S. Surgeon General issued his warning that half the population is at
risk of osteoporosis unless action is taken. Leaders in fitness and
nutrition are demonstrating today in Manhattan exactly how older women
in the BEST Study, a four-year investigation conducted at the University
of Arizona, improved their bone mineral density using calcium and
weight-bearing exercise.
More... 11/17/04*
Doctors Focusing on Senior Citizen Obesity, Now That
Medicare Pays
Double
Problem: Seniors Overweight (58%) and Inactive
Nov. 8, 2004 – In July, the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services announced they were changing their rules to
designate obesity as a disease and that Medicare would pay for
anti-obesity interventions. This has spurred new attention by the
medical profession on the treatment of senior citizens who are
overweight. More...
11/08/04*
Boomers, Young Seniors Can Extend Life With Minimal
Exercise
Nov.
5, 2004 - A new study gives people in their 50s and 60s another reason
to get off the couch and be physically active — especially if they have
conditions or habits that endanger their hearts, like diabetes, high
blood pressure or smoking.
More... 11/05/04*
Elderly Women Should Worry More About
Exercise Than Weight
Oct. 8, 2004 –
Elderly women should worry more about exercising than about controlling
their weight in order to prevent their physical decline, according to a
study done at the University of Pittsburgh and recently published in
Preventive Medicine.
More... 10/08/04*
Aging Blood Vessels Adapt to Exercise
Oct. 6, 2004 – Researchers have found that blood
vessels in the legs of older people restrict more than younger men
during exercise, suggesting the body makes adjustments for lower cardiac
output. More...
10/06/04*
Two
Studies of Older Adults Confirm Exercise Reduces Dementia Risk
Sept. 21, 2004 – Two studies – one of older men and
the other of older women – confirm that exercise, even walking, can mean
a reduced risk of dementia.
More... 9/21/04*
Fitness Centers Open Doors for Active Aging Week
Sept. 14, 2004 - To help older adults increase
their physical activity levels, hundreds of fitness and wellness
facilities around the world will open their centers and communities to
older adults during Active Aging Week, September 27-October 3, 2004.
More... 9/14/04*
Sept. 14, 2004 - It’s not just aging that causes
stiffening of the heart - it is a sedentary lifestyle, say researchers,
who have also found that long-term exercise can prevent this condition,
which is associated with the onset of heart failure.
More... 9/14/04*
How Much Women Exercise Better Gage of Heart Risk
than Body Weight
Sept. 8, 2004 – A woman’s physical activity level
is a better measure of heart disease than is excess weight, according a
a study conducted at four academic medical centers and sponsored by the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
More... 9/08/04*
Regular Physical Activity Really Does Boost Immune System
In Older Men
Aug. 25, 2004 – Men over 70 can develop an immune
response equal to much younger men if they get regular physical
exercise, says a new study.
More... 8/25/04*
U.S. Administration On
Aging Seeks Community Partners To Promote Healthy Aging with Diet and
Exercise
Aug. 20, 2004 - Local
senior citizen groups and other community organizations are being
invited to become partners with the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA)
in the “You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging” program to increase the
number of older Americans who are active and healthy. Online enrollment
will begin September 1.
More... 8/20/04*
Fitness Organizations, Physicians
Join Forces to Boost Senior Fitness
July 14, 2004- An association for fitness
organizations and a physicians’ group are joining forces to boost
physical activity among adults 50 and older, according to Colin Milner,
CEO, International Council on Active Aging.
More... 7/14/04*
Exercise Reduces Death Rate by Half for Depressed
or Unsupported Heart Attack Patients
Beneficial for patients who are older, minority or women
May 4, 2004 – A new study says heart
attack patients who are depressed or without social support are more than
twice as likely to die of a second heart attack if they do not exercise. It
is just one more medical report in a mounting mountain of evidence proving
the benefits of exercise. More...
5/4/04*
Research
demonstrates even moderate physical activity is a significant factor in
diminishing the risk or increasing the likelihood of survival for certain
cancers in women
March 29, 2004 - Regular
exercise, long associated with better cardiovascular health, muscle tone and
weight control, also may help prevent certain cancers and improve the odds
of cancer survival, according to studies released today at the 95th
Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
More... 3/29/04*
American Adults Are
Too Fat!
Your Government Wants to Help
Dec. 1, 2003 - Americans are just too fat,
according to a mass of research, and the government is not holding back in
attacking the problem – particularly among adults.
The
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force today recommended that clinicians
screen all adults for obesity and offer obese patients intensive counseling
and behavioral interventions to promote sustained weight loss or refer them
to other clinicians for these services.
They recommend screening with the
body mass index (BMI). People with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered
overweight, and those with a BMI of more than 30 are considered obese. BMI
is calculated either as weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared
multiplied by 703, or as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters
squared. An online BMI calculator can be found at this link –
Click Here.
“Staying Healthy at 50+” is a helpful
Website by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality –
Click Here
HealthierUS.gov, which hopes to be the
“source of credible, accurate information to help Americans choose to live
healthier lives,” has a special Website on obesity –
Click Here
Exercise Beats Diet As Best Defense Against Heart
Disease
Nov. 6, 2003 - Despite widespread
attention to diet, calorie intake may not be a major factor in causing death
by heart disease, according to a 17-year study of almost 9,800 Americans.
More... 11/06/03*
Exercise to Stay Well
Senior Citizens
Can Increase Financial Well-Being by Increasing Health Well-Being
Nov. 5,
2003 - Would senior citizens become physically active if they knew it would
save them on average more than $2,200 per year in healthcare costs?
More... 11/05/03*
Want to
help learn if seniors walk better with a pole?
Nov. 4, 2003 - A Ball
State University professor is studying whether walking poles can
improve the health of older adults and he is looking for senior
citizens to participate in the study.
More... 11/04/03*
Lack of Activity Creating
"Super-Sized" Senior Citizens
Nov. 4, 2003 - Recent national attention has focused on the
epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States - certainly a serious
public health concern - but children are not the only group suffering from the
consequences of enormous portions of food, high fat snacks, and sedentary
lifestyle. "Too much food and too little physical activity is contributing to
an epidemic of "super-sized" older adults in the United States," says Marcia
Ory, Ph.D. More, including links
to info on exercise for seniors. 11/04/03*
Diet,
Exercise Effective in Preventing Cancer
Oct. 28, 2003 - Though the concept of healthy living has long included such
recommendations as diet and exercise, clinical evidence suggests that these
activities may be more powerful in preventing cancer than previously thought,
according to research presented yesterday at the American Association for
Cancer Research Second Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer
Prevention Research. More...
10/28/03*
Inability To Pump Oxygen During
Exercise Could Pinpoint Early Heart Problems
Oct. 21, 2003 - Mildly elevated blood pressure affecting millions of Americans
could lead to heart pumping disorders if left untreated. A new Johns Hopkins
study indicates that the amount of oxygen that can be circulated throughout
the body during each heart beat while exercising could reveal to doctors early
signs of heart trouble in this population.
More... 10/21/03*
Fitness for Seniors
First-Ever
Active Aging Week Kicks Off This Month
Sept. 8, 2003 - Jazzercise, the world's leading
dance-fitness program, and the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
have joined forces to launch the first-ever Active Aging Week Sept. 29 to Oct.
5, 2003. More... 9/08/03*
Neighborhood 'walkability' Determines
Activity Level of Older Women, Say Researchers
Aug. 29, 2003 - – Neighborhood "walkability" and the
proximity of destinations play major roles in the amount of physical activity
older women get, according to a University of Pittsburgh study published in
the September issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.
Click 8/29/03*
Lynn Swann, Senior Athletes Urge Older
Americans to Be Physically Active
Mar. 11, 2003 – Senior
athletes, including NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, testified today before the
U.S. Senate Select Committee on Aging and urged senior citizens to become
physically active to gain a longer, happier life. They were also helping to
promote “March for Meals,” a senior nutrition program. Follow link to more of
the story and link to online video.
Click 3/11/03*
Exercise: Right Prescription for Heart Failure Patients
DALLAS, March 4 – Exercise is
good medicine for heart failure patients – even while they await heart
transplantation – according to a new statement from the American Heart
Association published in today's print issue of Circulation: Journal of the
American Heart Association. Heart failure is a bit of a misnomer. The heart
does not completely fail, but rather its ability to pump blood to other organs
is compromised. As a result, patients experience fatigue and can't exercise
without discomfort. Click 3/04/04*
What is BEST Physical Activity for
Senior Citizens?
Right answer could win you $1,000 from National
Council on Aging
Feb. 24, 2003 - The National
Council on the Aging (NCOA) announced today that it will sponsor a new
national competition to identify the "best" physical activity programming for
older adults. The competition will award $1,000 to 10 community-based
organizations that achieve excellence in physical activity programming
targeted at improving the health and well being of older Americans.
Click 3/24/03*
Seniors Benefit Most
Exercise
Proven to Help Keep Brains Healthy in Senior Citizens
Jan. 27, 2003 - Three
key areas of the brain adversely affected by aging show the greatest
benefit when a person stays physically fit. The proof, scientists say,
is visible in the brain scans of 55 volunteers over age 55.
Click 1/27/03*
29 Ideas from Experts, one from SeniorJournal Physical Fitness Tips for Senior Citizens to
Start the New Year Right
Dec. 20, 2002 – One of the reasons Americans
are living longer is they are in better physical condition than were their
parents, primarily because today’s senior citizens are more aware of the need
for exercise. To help encourage seniors to improve physical fitness, and do it
safely, a group of experts gathered by the
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) has prepared 29 helpful
suggestions. And, we have added one tip of our own.
Click 12/20/02*
Find Out Your Health
Statistics
The
holiday season is a tough time for trying to maintain our weight and fitness. We
have found a neat Website that provides several health calculators for using
your information to get the vital statistics you need to plan a healthier life.
Follow this link to the iVillage health calculators.
Click 12/11/02** Lack of Physical Activity More Life
Threatening Than Obesity
Small amounts of
physical activity found to be protective
Dec. 9, ’02 -
Being inactive is more life-threatening than being overweight or
obese, results of one of the first studies to consider body weight and
physical activity simultaneously and assess their independent effects
on mortality has found.
Click 12/09/02*
Remember When People
Were Not So Conscience of Their Weight? - About 50 Years Ago!
By Tucker Sutherland,
editor
Dec. 3, 02 - The Gallup News
Service recently released a poll showing most people today want to
lose weight but few are really trying. The interesting thing about
this analyses is, however, that it shows attitudes about weight over
many years and reveals a sharp contrast between attitudes toward
weight today and 51 years ago.
Click 12/03/02*
"Staying Health at 50+"
This guide was developed by the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, formerly the Agency for Health
Care Policy and Research), AARP, and the
Health
Resources and Services Administration
Muscle strength,
abdominal fat linked to bone mineral density
Oct. 31, 02 - While day-to-day
physical activities such as walking, housework and shopping may be
good for your heart, they don't do much for your bones, according to a
Johns Hopkins study.
Click 10/31/2*
How Much
Exercise Do You Need?
Senior Group at Odds With Institute of Medicine
Sept. 23, 02
- New dietary guidelines from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommend that
people exercise for 60 minutes every day to avoid weight gain as they age,
according to a statement by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA),
that says this is more than enough and may actually discourage mature adults
from exercise. Click
9/23/2*
When Seniors Exercise Their Confidence Climbs
(Editor's Note: The authors of this study have chosen
to define "elderly" as persons more than 65 years young. SeniorJournal.com
defines elderly as 80 or older.)
Sept. 6, 02 - The benefits of regular exercise are powerful motivators for the
elderly to continue a physical activity regimen, according to a new study.
Click 9/6/2*
Senior Fitness
Trade Association
Launches Media Campaign Backing President Bush's HealthierUS
VANCOUVER (July 25, 2002) — The
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the worlds fastest growing trade
association for the senior fitness and wellness industry, today announces a
new $500,000 media support program, entitled Changing the Way We Age™. The
program will support President George Bush in his new HealthierUS initiative,
and educate the media about the concept and process of active aging.
Click 7/27/2*
300,000 Die Annually Due to Sedentary Lifestyle
Report Highlights
Benefits of Physical Activity
June 20, 2002 - A report
released today cites that 300,000 people die each year from
diseases and health conditions related to a sedentary lifestyle and poor
eating habits, nearly as many as who die from smoking. And, it says, there is
an annual cost of $117 billion annually associated with overweight and obesity.
Click 6/202*
Older Adults Can Exercise Just Once a Week
to Maintain Muscle Strength
Exercising just one day a week can give older adults the strength to maintain
their independence and to avoid injuries, according to a study by a group of
scientists at Ball State University, Muncie, IN. Click 5/14/2*
20 Ways Men Can Add
20 Years To Their Lives
Want
to outlast Methuselah, the Galapagos giant tortoise and Harry Potter sequels?
Researchers are discovering that just about every marker of aging is affected
by the way you live. While genes and chance still play a big part, it’s very
much up to you whether you’ll keel over before cashing your first pension
check or hang around to bleed the Social Security fund dry.
Click 3/19/2 Men's Fitness
Health
and Fitness Facilities Need Defibrillators As More Seniors Exercise, Says
Heart Association
A scientific
statement urging fitness clubs to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs)
and train staff to use them was released by the American Heart Association and
the American College of Sports Medicine.
“Many more
Americans are now exercising at health and fitness clubs, including more
senior citizens and people with undiagnosed heart disease who may be at higher
risk for cardiac arrest," says Gary Balady, M.D., who chaired the writing
group. Click 3/12/2*
Elderly
Can
Maintain
Fitness
with
Growth
Hormone
That
Boosts
Production
of
Disease-Fighting
Cells
Feb.
8,
2002
—
Growth-hormone
therapy
in
elderly
patients
increases
lean
body
mass
and
reduces
body
fat,
helping
them
maintain
fitness.
Now,
scientists
say,
the
therapy
also
may
dramatically
boost
the
production
of
cells
vital
to
fighting
disease.
Click
2/8/02*
Online
Senior
Exercise
Guide
The
National
Institute
on
Aging
has
made
available
on
the
Web
an
easy
to
use
exercise
guide
for
senior
citizens.
Click
1/18/2
Bicycling
has
a
significantly
positive
effect
in
treating
sexual
dysfunction
in
men
with
chronic
heart
failure,
according
to
a
report
presented
at
the
American
Heart
Association's
Scientific
Sessions
2001
conference.
Click
11/30/*
Exercise
can
boost
the
immune
system
and
fight
heart
disease
for
older
men,
according
to
results
of
a
study
of
50-to-60
year
old
men
presented
at
the
American
Heart
Association's
Scientific
Sessions
2001.
Click
11/30/1*
According
to
the
U.S.
Surgeon
General,
one-third
of
the
men
and
half
of
the
women
age
75
and
older
in
this
country
don’t
exercise. By
the
year
2030,
one
in
five
Americans,
or
about
70
million
people,
will
be
65
or
older.
That
is
nearly
double
the
number
of
people
who
were
over
65
last
year. Those
facts
add
up
to
a
sure
recipe
for
disaster,
especially
considering
the
49
percent
rise
in
diabetes
cases
in
the
U.S.
in
the
1990s.
Click
11/4/1*
AARP
Sponsors
First
Triathlon
Series
for
People
50+
The
Tri-Umph!
Classic
to
add
"Umph!"
to
Boomers'
Lives
July
18,
2001
-
AARP
is
urging
people
to
put
down
the
remote,
get
on
their
feet
and
add
a
little
"Umph!"
to
their
lives
by
participating
in
the
Tri-Umph!
Classic,
the
first-ever
multi-sport
challenge
geared
towards
people
50
and
older.
click
to
story
7/18/01
Physically
fit,
leaner
older
people
are
happier,
study
says
Older
people
who
are
more
fit
and
have
less
body
fat
may
also
have
a
better
outlook
on
life
than
their
less
active,
less
lean
counterparts,
according
to
a
Johns
Hopkins
study.
click
to
story
7/10/01
Tai
Chi
good
way
for
elderly
people
to
return
to
exercise
The
low-impact
Chinese
exercise,
Tai
Chi,
can
help
older
people
regain
some
of
the
physical
functioning
that
they
may
have
lost
to
inactivity,
according
to
a
new
study.
click
to
story
5/2/01
-
They
could
have
taken
advantage
of
the
$2
senior
citizen
discount
for
an
elevator
ticket
to
the
86th
floor.
Instead,
11
runners
-
all
60
or
older
-
did
it
the
hard
way
dashing
up
the
1,576
steps
of
the
Empire
State
Building. Chico
Scimone,
89,
was
the
oldest
runner
in
the
race.
Senior
citizens
committed
to
remaining
independent
and
who
enjoy
getting
health
information
over
the
Internet
can
benefit
from
a
new
health
and
fitness
offering
called
fitness
e-coaching,
according
to
the
web
site
sponsor.
The
benefits
of
strength
training
for
those
over
50
can
be
significant.
A
number
of
recent
studies
show
that
building
strength
can
sharply
reverse
the
loss
in
muscle
and
bone
density
that
occurs
as
the
body
ages.
That
may
explain
why
the
percentage
of
men
and
women
over
45
who
are
lifting
weights
has
more
than
doubled
in
the
past
five
years.
Exercising
your
brain
and
your
body
will
improve
your
mind
-
maybe
help
you
escape
Alzheimer's
-
and
escape
many
physical
problems
associated
with
aging.
At
68,
he
has
developed
enough
coordination
to
dive
into
an
ocean
or
lake
and
swim
2.4
miles,
hop
a
bike
and
ride
112
miles,
then
grab
his
sneakers
and
run
a
marathon.
Aug. 5, 2008 – The “exercise pill” hyped by a
report from researchers at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies
cannot be considered a replacement for exercise, says Frank Booth, a
University of Missouri expert on the science of inactivity. He says the
study focused on biology and its relation to health, but did not test
all the commonly known benefits of exercise.
Check
This
Video 