Tag Archive for: physical activity

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Physical activity may protect your brain as you age

Physical activity may protect your brain as you age - فعالیت فیزیکی و حفظ جوانی مغز

Even just a few more steps a day benefits cognitive function

We all know we should exercise and eat healthy. But doing that isn’t just good for maintaining your figure as you age.

New research from the University of Georgia shows that physical activity could help protect your cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn’t have to be intense exercise to make an impact.

Exercise improves brain function
Published in Sport Sciences for Health, the study followed 51 older adults, tracking their physical activity and fitness measurements. The participants performed tests specifically designed to measure cognitive functioning and underwent MRIs to assess brain functioning.

They also wore a device that measured the intensity of the wearer’s physical activity, number of steps taken and distance covered. The researchers assessed fitness through a six-minute walking test, during which participants walked as quickly as they could to cover the most distance possible within the time limit.

Release date: 08 March 2022
Source: University of Georgia

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Does physical activity impact risk of knee osteoarthritis?

Does physical activity impact risk of knee osteoarthritis - آیا فعالیت شدید آرتروز ایجاد می کند

In an analysis published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, investigators did not find any link between the amount and duration of physical activity with individuals’ risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.

The analysis included six global community-based studies including a total of 5,065 participants with and without knee osteoarthritis who were followed for five to 12 years.

“Knowing that the amount of physical activity and time spent doing it is not associated with the development of knee osteoarthritis is important evidence for both clinicians and the public who may need to consider this when prescribing physical activity for health,” said co–lead author Thomas Perry, BSc, PhD, of the University of Oxford, in the UK.

Next, it will be important to understand the role of injury and specific types of activity within this association, noted co–lead author Lucy S. Gates, PhD, of the University of Southampton, and co–senior author Maria Sanchez-Santos, of the University of Oxford.

Release date: 03 November 2021
Source: Wiley

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Physical inactivity linked to more severe COVID-19 infection and death

Physical inactivity linked to more severe COVID19 infection and death - بی تحرکی و مرگ کرونایی

Surpassed only by advanced age and organ transplant as a risk factor, large study shows. Physical inactivity is linked to more severe COVID-19 infection and a heightened risk of dying from the disease, finds a large US study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Patients with COVID-19 who were consistently inactive during the 2 years preceding the pandemic were more likely to be admitted to hospital, to require intensive care, and to die than were patients who had consistently met physical activity guidelines, the findings show.

As a risk factor for severe disease, physical inactivity was surpassed only by advanced age and a history of organ transplant.

Several risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection have been identified, including advanced age, male sex, and certain underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

But physical inactivity is not one of them, even though it is a well known contributory risk factor for several long term conditions, including those associated with severe COVID-19, point out the researchers.

Release date: 13 April 2021
Source: BMJ

Leisure physical activity is linked with health benefits but work activity is not

Leisure physical activity is linked with health benefits but work activity is not - نوع فعالیت بدنی مناسب برای سلامتی

The first large study showing that leisure time physical activity and occupational physical activity have opposite, and independent, associations with cardiovascular disease risk and longevity is published today in European Heart Journal , a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

Release date: 09 April 2021
Source: European Society of Cardiology

Spouses shed more pounds together than alone

Spouses shed more pounds together than alone - برای تاثیر بیشتر برنامه لاغری، لازم است همسر فرد نیز مشارکت نماید

Weight loss is most successful in heart attack survivors when partners join in the effort to diet, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2020.

The RESPONSE-2 trial previously found that heart attack survivors referred to programmes for weight reduction, physical activity, and smoking cessation were more likely to modify behaviours compared to those receiving usual care. In both groups, living with a partner was linked with greater success in shifting bad habits. The most notable improvements were in patients who took part in lifestyle programmes and lived with a partner.

This follow-up study investigated whether partner involvement in lifestyle programmes had an impact on behaviour change. “If partners contribute to adopting healthy habits, it could become an important recommendation to avoid recurrent heart attacks,”

Release date: 27 August 2020

Source: European Society of Cardiology

Regular physical activity seems to enhance cognition in children who need it most

Regular physical activity seems to enhance cognition in children who need it most - فعالیت بدنی منظم می تواند عملکرد ذهنی کودکان را ارتقا دهد

An international collaboration headed by the University of Tsukuba in Japan has shown that regular physical activity can enhance cognitive functions, especially in those who have the most room for improvement

A common school-age stereotype is that smart kids are unathletic. However, as a recent study lead by Associate Professor Keita Kamijo at the University of Tsukuba and Assistant Professor Toru Ishihara at Kobe University shows, physical activity is linked to better cognitive ability, which is in turn related to academic performance in school. Understanding the effects of physical activity on cognition has been difficult for several reasons. “Previous studies looked at the issue too broadly,” explains Professor Kamijo, “When we broke down the data, we were able to see that physical activity helps children the most if they start out with poor executive function.”

Executive functions refer to three types of cognitive skills. The first is the ability to suppress impulses and inhibit reflex-like behaviors or habits. To assess this ability, children were asked to indicate the color in which words like “red” and “blue” were displayed on a computer screen. This is easy when the words and colors match (“red” displayed in red font), but often requires inhibition of a reflex response when they don’t (“red” displayed in blue font). The second skill is the ability to hold information in working memory and process it. This was evaluated by testing how well children could remember strings of letters that vary in length. The third cognitive skill is mental flexibility. This was measured by asking children to frequently switch the rules for categorizing colored circles and squares from shape-based to color-based.

The article, “Baseline cognitive performance moderates the effects of physical activity on executive functions in children,” was published in Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Release date: 15 July 2020

Source: University of Tsukuba

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Exercise and Memory

Exercise and Memory ورزش و حافظه

Even mild physical activity, on par with yoga and tai chi, immediately enhances the consolidation of memories, according to a new study published in PNAS.