Special Populations Articles

Training older adults is very gratifying. They tend to be highly motivated and goal oriented. My clients in their 70s, 80s and 90s have often been told to exercise by their physicians. For these clients, the goal in training is, above all, to be healthy. Beyond that, they want to maintain their quality of life and independent living status.

That 98-pound weakling may want to hit the gym if he hopes to live a long life. A study published in the British Medical Journal (2012; 345: e7279) suggests that male adolescents without much muscle strength may earn early death in adulthood. The large study included 1,142,599 Swedish males aged 16–19 who were followed for 24 years. The primary focus was to determine whether muscular strength had any impact on mortality rates. Premature death in this study was considered death before 55.

The Federal Trade Commis­sion has released its Review of Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents, and the conclusions indicate that there is still much to be done if industry self-regulation of food marketing to children is to become an effective way to protect the health of minors. The 2012 report is a follow-up to the FTC’s 2008 report, which Congress requested in response to dramatic increases in childhood obesity rates. Four of the Marketing Methods

When viewing food logos, obese children show less activity in regions of the brain associated with self-control than do their healthy-weight counterparts, reports The Journal of Pediatrics. Researchers from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, and the University of Kansas Medical Center tested youth aged 10–14, using both self-reported measures of self-control and functional magnetic resonance imaging, which tracks blood flow as a measure of brain activity.

The rates of overweight and obesity among kids continue to climb. Food choices and inactivity are considered major culprits. Are electronic devices also to blame? Scientists from the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta have linked use of electronic devices, poor sleep patterns and obesity among Canadian 5th graders. The researchers surveyed sleep habits, food intake, physical activity levels, height and weight measurements, and nighttime use of electronic devices among 3,398 children.

In colder months, how often are you asked, “Can Pilates help prepare my body for winter sports?” The answer, of course, is yes, there are a number of exercises that help prevent injuries, improve balance and augment sport-specific strength.Node Features: Has Videonewsletter_teaser: In colder months, how often are you asked, “Can Pilates help prepare my body for winter sports?” The answer, of course, is yes, there are a number of exercises that help prevent injuries, improve balance and augment sport-specific strength.

Now more than ever, teens (aged 13-19) are attending group classes, either general sessions or teen-specific ones. To design safe, successful workouts for teens, it’s vital for instructors to understand this age group. Teens are no longer children but are not quite adults. Adolescence is a time of great growth and development--physically, emotionally and mentally.newsletter_teaser: Now more than ever, teens (aged 13-19) are attending group classes, either general sessions or teen-specific ones. To design safe, successful workouts for teens, it’s vital for instructors to understand this age group. Teens are no longer children but are not quite adults.

What do you think of when you hear “senior fitness”? For some personal trainers, the term might conjure images of gentle exercises performed in a noncompetitive environment. Yet many older athletic adults are not interested in mild “senior” movement, and plenty of them can—and want to—work out pretty intensely or for long durations.

Childhood obesity, inactivity and poor food choices are taking a toll on today’s youth. In some cases, structured exercise is encouraged for weight management. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t seem to be working.