Special Populations Articles

Older men who walk more than 2 miles a day are less likely to experience dementia than those who are more sedentary, according to a study in the September 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (2004; 292 [12], 1447–53). A group of 2,257 physically capable men ages 71–93 participated in the Honolulu–Asia Aging Study. Researchers logged the d...

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has published a report that tackles the childhood obesity epidemic. Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance, commissioned by Congress, says the nation must take “immediate action.” “Our nation has spent many billions of dollars to make incredible health advances related to genetics and other biomedical discoveries,&rdqu...

Silver Age Yoga is a unique yoga discipline designed for seniors that combines hatha yoga and principles of gerontology. The program was developed by seasoned yoga instructors in cooperation with scientists—many of them yoga practitioners—from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD); the Stein Institute for Research on Aging, a department of UCSD; and physicians affiliated with Scripps...

Adolescent girls who compete in athletic events sometimes fall victim to disordered eating, which has been linked to low bone mineral density (BMD). To explore the specific eating behaviors that lead to low BMD, researchers recently compared the attitudes and concerns of teenage girls who were endurance runners. The study participants were 93 female...

Moms (and dads) who want to find out what their kids are eating at school have a new weapon in their arsenal. MyNutriKids monitors what your children consume in the cafeteria. Sign up at www.mynutrikids.com....

The dangers of inactivity in children just became more grave. A study published in Dynamic Medicine (2008; 7 [5]) has found that sedentary kids, compared with their active counterparts, are five times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome by their teenage years. For kids with “low aerobic fitness,” the risk is six times as high. The authors analyzed data collect...

Have you ever wondered if the effects of strength training differ between men and women, and among people of various races? Researchers in the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland sought to determine whether specific groups benefited more from strength training. The findings, printed in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2008; 40 [4], 669–76)...

According to the Alzheimer’s Association website (www.alz.org), an estimated 5.2 million people in the United States are living with the disease. It is also estimated that 10 million Baby Boomers will develop Alzheimer’s in their lifetimes. Considered the seventh leading cause of death, Alzheimer’s disease has recently become associated with diabetes. A study published ahead of pri...

With the cost of produce climbing like a beanstalk, this may be the year to plant a garden. In addition to the vegetables you reap, your kids may sow many health benefits and develop good eating habits that last a lifetime. According to a study that appeared in the April 20, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, children will eat more fruit...

Albertsons grocery chain has launched a new program that offers school kids a field trip to local stores to learn about healthy eating habits. The Albertsons Healthy Eaters™ program was designed to reinforce the nutrition and health curricula taught in schools by taking the children on super­market tours. Elementary-school children get hands-on instruction in food labels, proper portion sizes, nut...