People With Overweight/Obesity
The Hunger-Obesity Paradox: There’s an App for That
More than one-third (78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. But according to a 2014 report by Feeding America, a hunger relief charity, 49 million Americans are “food insecure,” meaning they eat smaller amounts, go hungry or eat less nutritious foods because they can’t afford to eat better. Almost one-third of America’s food insecure are children, the report says.
Social Media and “Weight Talk”
The Internet offers plenty of opportunity to share helpful, positive content. However, it’s also a hotbed of negativity, especially when it comes to discussions on weight.
A study facilitated by researchers at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland, wanted to understand the types of conversations that are taking place on this subject. Using a commercial Web-crawling tool, the investigators explored popular social media sites and pulled posts that included fat, obese/obesity and/or overweight. The process lasted 60 days and culminated in 1.37 million posts.
How to Improve Function in Obese Adults
Mobility can be an issue for adults with obesity, and exercise can help. But is there a preferred method for improving functional capacity in this population? Researchers may have the answer.
Leveraging Change in the Workplace
Gregory Florez is the founder and CEO of V2 Performance, a premier vitality education and performance coaching firm for leaders. Through keynote speaking engagements, customized workshops and seminars, and one-on-one vitality coaching, Florez and his team have improved the health and well-being, work capacity and breakthrough performance of thousands of leaders worldwide.
Fitness as Pharmacy
An accomplished orthopedic surgeon, Gregory Degnan, MD, serves as medical director of ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers, home to 38,000 members throughout Pennsylvania and Virginia. Since a rare medical condition sidelined Degnan’s surgical career, he has worked to map out the ACAC physician-referred exercise program and has advocated for the unification of the healthcare and fitness industries. An avid exerciser, Degnan attended Wesleyan University and Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
Can Twitter Help Childhood Obesity?
Social media platform Twitter is widely used as a tool for sharing and receiving information. A recent study suggests that tweeting
could play a positive role in reducing childhood obesity rates.
Do Parents Accurately Assess Obese Kids’ Health Problems?
Experts often suggest that in order to reduce childhood obesity levels, healthy habits must begin in the home. However, a recent study shows that many parents miss the mark— even when their child is considered clinically obese.
Fitness Professionals Can Take A Leading Charge In The Fight Against Childhood Obesity
In observance of Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, IDEA has compiled a list of our most relevant articles. Learn how different components of daily life can effect children’s obesity risk, how to fight obesity and how to create effective programming for children.
The Biomechanics of Obesity
Justin Price, MA, is a biomechanics specialist, expert in corrective exercise, and creator of The BioMechanics Method® continuing education program. His assessment and exercise techniques are widely used by health and fitness professionals around the world to help people eliminate chronic pain. Price has been consulted for his expertise by Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Tennis, Men’s Health, Arthritis Today, WebMD and Discovery Health.
The Importance of Size Sensitivity
Business owners attempting to entice overweight clients should hold size-sensitivity training for their entire staff, says weight management expert Rochelle Rice. Indeed, size-friendly facilities are often a good fit for fitness professionals who have experienced significant weight loss first hand. “But there are also trainers, no matter the size, who have the compassion, knowledge and expertise to work with the fuller body,” Rice adds.
30 Seconds to Victory
After spending much of his young life at a healthy weight, Lee Jordan began steadily gaining mass in his 20s. He reached a top weight of 450 pounds and was living what he refers to as a “nightmare of a life.” Inspired by his friend Beth, an ACE-certified personal trainer and now his wife, Lee began his journey to health and fitness by walking 30 seconds every morning down the hallway outside his apartment. Now, more than 275 pounds lighter, Lee is an ACE-certified personal trainer and health coach who specializes in helping people who need to lose 100 pounds or more.
Is Obesity Contagious?
We often hear about an “epidemic” of obesity. This past year, the American Medical Association deemed obesity a disease (AMA 2013). A lot of people have a hard time associating the term “disease” with obesity because body weight is within our control . . . or is it?
Obesity has many properties of diseases, including a genetic prevalence and associations with other diseases or conditions like diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers. Obesity causes losses of certain functions and creates pathological conditions that increase morbidity.
Mortality Risk of Obesity Underestimated?
Researchers have established that obesity is associated with increased mortality risk. However, a study suggests that the severity of this risk may have been underestimated.
Published in Population Health Metrics (2014; doi:10.1186/1478-7954-12-6), the study looked at mortality and body mass index in nonsmoking adults aged 50–84. Data was pulled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1988–1994 and 1999–2004) and linked to the National Death Index through 2006.
How to Attract Clients With Obesity
The fitness industry is, by its own admission, good at “getting fit people fitter.” But with marketing materials rife with lithe, blond 20-somethings in revealing, brand-name yoga gear, it’s not surprising that people who are overweight and deconditioned find it hard to buy into the very fitness services that could help them shed pounds for good.
Fostering Change Within Our Communities
Mary Jayne Rogers, PhD, a 30-year veteran of the health and wellness industry, is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As owner of Profound Wellness, LLC, she provides expert commentary for leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Shape and SELF. Rogers has earned several industry accolades, among them the IHRSA/CYBEX Fitness Director of the Year Award and the IHRSA/Keiser 50+ Award for excellence in mature adult programming. Rogers specializes in whole-person wellness and fitness education and instruction.
Brazil’s Innovative Approach to Dietary Guidelines
Faced with many of the same challenges the U.S. has in terms of mounting rates of overweight, obesity and related chronic disease among its citizens, the Brazilian Ministry of Health recently released an unconventional new set of dietary guidelines. Unlike the nutrient-based American guidelines, Brazil’s focus more on sensible, mindful preparation and consumption of food.
Three overarching principles set the stage for the 10 guidelines:
Handling Negative Body Image Issues
Thank you for including my voice in the Tricks of the Trade column [January 2014] that discussed body image. Many people have contacted me about the issue, tell- ing me I am an inspiration to them. They want my advice on how to get through this size-zero world living as a plus-size trainer. Wow, I am overwhelmed by the thanks I am receiving. Trainers and everyday women have appreciated my story and say they hope one day to inspire as I am doing. Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.
Patricia Butler
Queens Village, New York
Best Fat Loss Protocol For Obese Teens?
As obesity continues to maintain a stranglehold on the teenage population, experts search for solutions to the potentially fatal disease. When it comes to exercise, a combination of cardiovascular and strength training is best, according to researchers from Sa?o Paulo.
Embracing the Self-Care Model
Michol Dalcourt is an internationally recognized expert in human movement and performance. He is the founder and director of the Institute of Motion, inventor of the ViPR™ fitness tool, and cofounder of Personal Training Academy Global (PTA Global). An international lecturer and educator, Dalcourt has written numerous articles on human design and function, and he has developed a widely used model for high-performance training.
