A University of Delaware lab is now pioneering the use of video games – specifically Nintendo Switch’s Ring Fit – as an intervention to enhance movement and motor skills for children with autism. The research further demonstrates the positive impact of exercise-based games on cognition and social interactions.
Tag: Exercise
Healthy sleep needs a healthy day: boost exercise to beat your bedtime blues
A world first study from the University of South Australia shows that getting a good night’s sleep is tied to how you structure your day, with exercise at the heart of sleep quality.
Staying active and reducing time sitting will boost heart health
HARRISONBURG, Va. — As American Heart Month comes to a close, remaining active is the key to improving heart health along with limiting sedentary time, a JMU researcher says. “It’s not possible for people to exercise for hours and hours…
Heat Stress May Affect the Muscles for Longer Than We Think
People who experience heat stress during exercise may need more recovery time to let their muscles heal, according to a new mouse study published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.
University of Limerick, Ireland research confirms benefits of resistance exercise training in treatment of anxiety and depression
A new study by researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland and at Iowa State University has demonstrated the impact resistance exercise training can have in the treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Some Benefits of Exercise Stem from the Immune System
Research in mice shows that the anti-inflammatory properties of exercise may arise from immune cells mobilized to counter exercise-induced inflammation. Immune cells prevent muscle damage by lowering levels of interferon, a key driver of chronic inflammation, inflammatory diseases, and aging.
Wintertime blues? Health expert offers tips to combat seasonal affective disorder
Millions are affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) every year. The annual pattern of winter depression and melancholy suggests a strong link between your mood and the amount of light you get during the day, says Lina Begdache, assistant professor…
Menstrual Cycle Phase Doesn’t Affect Fuel Provision during Exercise
Article title: The impact of natural menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive pill phase on substrate oxidation during rest and acute submaximal aerobic exercise Authors: Jennifer S. Williams, Jenna C. Stone, Zaryan Masood, William Bostad, Martin J. Gibala, Maureen J. MacDonald…
These Screen-printed, Flexible Sensors Allow Earbuds to Record Brain Activity and Exercise Levels
Earbuds can be turned into a tool to record the electrical activity of the brain and levels of lactate in the body with two flexible sensors screen-printed onto a flexible surface.
Exercise-mimicking drug sheds weight, boosts muscle activity in mice
A new drug encourages weight loss and increases endurance by making the body act like it is exercising.
Exercise boosts anti-cancer immunity and reduces inflammation in Lynch Syndrome patients
Regular and intense aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with Lynch Syndrome (LS) by improving the immune system’s ability to detect and remove potentially harmful cells, according to researchers at
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Gene links exercise endurance, cold tolerance and cellular maintenance in flies
As the days get shorter and chillier in the northern hemisphere, those who choose to work out in the mornings might find it harder to get up and running. A study in PNAS identifies a protein that, when missing, makes exercising in the cold that much harder—that is, at least in fruit flies.
Preschoolers From Low-Income Families May Have Worse Health and Benefit Less From Health Promotion Interventions Than Children With Higher Socioeconomic Status
Mount Sinai study focused on Harlem preschools emphasizes the need for specialized health promotion programs in classrooms starting at an early age
‘Substance abuse’ therapy could boost wellbeing for aged care workers
It’s a therapy that’s commonly used to help overcome addiction or substance abuse, but motivational interviewing could improve the health and wellbeing of frontline aged care workers, according to new research by the University of South Australia.
Can a Blood Test Detect Alzheimer’s Disease?
In July, the first direct-to-consumer blood test designed to assess a user’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease hit the market.
Poor report card for children’s wellbeing
While COVID-19 lockdowns are no longer mandated, the stress and anxiety of the pandemic still lingers, especially among young South Australians, say health experts at the University of South Australia.
MD Anderson receives nearly $4.9 million in CPRIT funding for cancer prevention programs and recruitment
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was awarded four grants totaling nearly $4.9 million from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to support the expansion of physical activity programs for survivors, the dissemination of targeted tobacco cessation programs and the recruitment of a first-time, tenure-track faculty member.
UniSA stroke boot camp punches above its weight to get results
As a hardcore, military-style exercise group, bootcamp is certainly not for the timid. But an innovative take on the stereotypical idea of bootcamp is getting great results for people recovering from stroke.
New international guidelines will improve cystic fibrosis treatment
A team of global experts have spent a decade creating a guide to clinical assessments which help inform exercise training for people living with cystic fibrosis.
Out with the life coach, in with the chatbot
A first systematic review and meta-analysis of its kind, researchers at the University of South Australia show that chatbots are an effective tool to significantly improve physical activity, diet and sleep, in a step to get ready for the warmer months ahead.
Studying the Blood Transcriptome May Improve Understanding of Variability in Exercise Response
Article title: Novel whole blood transcriptome signatures of changes in maximal aerobic capacity in response to endurance exercise training in healthy women Authors: Thomas J. LaRocca, Meghan E. Smith, Kaitlin A. Freeberg, Daniel H. Craighead, Timothy Helmuth, Matthew M. Robinson,…
Short bursts of daily activity linked to reduced cancer risk – new study
Promising new research suggests a total of just 4.5 minutes of vigorous activity that makes you huff and puff during daily tasks could reduce the risk of some cancers by up to 32 percent.
These Eight Habits Could Lengthen Your Life by Decades
A new study involving over 700,000 U.S. veterans reports that people who adopt eight healthy lifestyle habits by middle age can expect to live substantially longer than those with few or none of these habits.
People Generalize Expectations of Pain to Conceptually Related Tasks
Avoiding experiences associated with pain can be an adaptive behavior. But when avoidance generalizes to safe movements and activities, it can come at the cost of other valued activities or even culminate in disability due to reduced activity levels.
The great weight debate: Researchers find all forms of weightlifting build strength and muscle, details matter less
Whether you use heavy or light weights, lifting them as many times as you can builds strength and muscle. The details of how you go about it are less important than simply making a habit of it, researchers have determined.
Exercise May Induce Strokes for People with Blocked Arteries
Certain conditions can make the increased heart rate associated with exercise dangerous: Researchers found that an elevated heart rate can induce a stroke in patients with highly blocked carotid arteries. Contrastingly, for healthy patients and those with only slightly blocked arteries, exercise is beneficial for maintaining healthy blood flow. In healthy patients, an elevated heart rate increases and stabilizes the drag force blood exerts on the vessel wall, reducing stenosis risk. But for patients already experiencing stenosis, it may not be as beneficial.
Cholesterol lures in coronavirus
New study shows that cholesterol aggregates can promote SARS-CoV-2 infection to help the virus invade cells
Walkable Neighborhoods Help Adults Socialize, Increase Community
Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to socialize and have a stronger sense of community, report researchers at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science.
Many people with type 1 diabetes continue to struggle to control blood sugar surrounding exercise
Many people with type 1 diabetes struggle to exercise safely while keeping their blood sugar levels within a healthy range, according to a study presented Thursday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.
Climate Change Threatens Military Readiness
The growing frequency and intensity of heat waves around the globe pose “a substantial, persistent ‘non-combat threat’” to military training and operations, according to experts in environmental, thermoregulatory and cardiovascular physiology.
Sex Differences in Fat Storage during Military Training Help Women Preserve Lean Mass
Article title: Sex differences in body composition and serum metabolome responses to sustained, physical training suggest enhanced fat oxidation in women compared with men Authors: Meaghan E. Beckner, Lauren Thompson, Patrick N. Radcliffe, Rebecca Cherian, Marques Wilson, Nicholas Barringer, Lee…
Roswell Park Study is First to Show That Exercise Strengthens Immune System in Multiple Myeloma Patients
Research has shown that the immune system doesn’t function properly in patients with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that occurs when plasma cells — a type of white blood cell — multiply out of control. But a clinical trial led by Jens Hillengass, MD, PhD, Chief of Myeloma at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, shows that exercise may have the power to strengthen the immune system in those patients, providing a non-pharmaceutical method of helping control the disease.
Running Throughout Middle Age Keeps ‘Old’ Adult-born Neurons ‘Wired’
A new study provides novel insight into the benefits of exercise, which should motivate adults to keep moving throughout their lifetime, especially during middle age. Long-term exercise profoundly benefits the aging brain and may prevent aging-related memory function decline by increasing the survival and modifying the network of the adult-born neurons born during early adulthood, and thereby facilitating their participation in cognitive processes.
Afternoon Exercise Linked with Greater Improvements in Blood Sugar Levels for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Over 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 90-95% of that population are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle interventions, such as a healthy diet and a regular physical activity program, are methods to manage diabetes.
Why Do Some Long Covid Patients Continue to Have Difficulty Exercising?
In a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, a team of researchers from UC San Francisco found that lower than expected exercise capacity was common among people with Long COVID and chronotropic incompetence (inadequate heart rate increase during exercise) was the most common reason. They also found reduced exercise capacity to be correlated with early post-Covid elevations of inflammatory biomarkers. In addition, they found that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be related to reduced heart rate while exercising.
Does exercise affect how our brains respond to food cues?
A single bout of exercise increased reactivity to food cues in parts of the brain associated with attention, anticipation of reward and episodic memory, according to research published in Human Brain Mapping.
Exercise May Prevent Stress-induced Hypertension through Regulation of Brain-bone Marrow Interaction
Article title: Impact of exercise on brain-bone marrow interactions in chronic stress: potential mechanisms preventing stress-induced hypertension Authors: Thu Van Nguyen, Ko Yamanaka, Keisuke Tomita, Jasenka Zubcevic, Sabine S. S. Gouraud, Hidefumi Waki From the authors: “Our findings provide new…
More structure, fewer screens makes for healthier kids in the school holidays
Vacation care, sports programs, or performing arts – whatever your child’s interests, researchers say that adding structure to the school holiday is a great way to keep kids healthy and active over the break.
Dr. Bill Roberts Named ACSM Chief Medical Officer
The American College of Sports Medicine® (ACSM) has named William Roberts, M.D., FACSM, as the organization’s new chief medical officer. The move was announced by ACSM Chief Executive Officer Kristin Belleson. “Bill is an excellent choice for this critical role and was selected from a deep and impressive pool of candidates,” Belleson said.
Exercise more effective than medicines to manage mental health
University of South Australia researchers are calling for exercise to be a mainstay approach for managing depression as a new study shows that physical activity is 1.5 times more effective than counselling or the leading medications.
Slow Recovery from Concussion? Exercise, Breathing Practice May Improve Symptoms
Breathing practice as well as gradual aerobic exercise may help improve concussion symptoms in teens experiencing slow recovery, according to a preliminary study released today, February 21, 2023, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting being held in person in Boston and live online from April 22-27, 2023. The study found that while the two therapies are each beneficial separately, when combined they resulted in even greater improvement in thinking and memory skills, depression and mood.
Overweight and Obesity in People With Type 1 Diabetes Nearly Same as General Population
A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that Americans with type 1 diabetes had overweight or obesity at almost the same high rates observed in persons without diabetes.
College of Medicine research confirms exercise as treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Penn State College of Medicine researchers confirmed exercise can lead to meaningful reductions in liver fat for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Review Offers Multisystem Perspective of Frailty and Stresses Need for More Research
Article title: Multisystem physiological perspective of human frailty and its modulation by physical activity Authors: Joseph A. Taylor, Paul L. Greenhaff, David B. Bartlett, Thomas A. Jackson, Niharika A. Duggal, Janet M. Lord From the authors: “In summary, frailty is a…
Study links exercise intensity, attentional control in late-adolescent girls
Adolescent girls who engage in more moderate and vigorous physical activity each day have better attentional control, a new study finds. The study focused on girls and boys aged 15-18.
More Steps, Moderate Physical Activity Cuts Dementia, Cognitive Impairment Risk
UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science study: senior women were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia if they did more daily walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Both high- and low-intensity exercise therapy beneficial for knee osteoarthritis
A randomized controlled trial comparing high- and low-dose exercise therapy for patients with knee osteoarthritis found that both types of exercise therapy produced similar outcomes in pain, function, and quality of life. High-dose therapy provided superior outcomes related to function in sports and recreation in the short term, with results subsiding after 6 months. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Study Explores Effects of Resistance Training in Older Adults at the Cellular Level
Aging and related diseases are associated with alterations in oxidative status and low-grade inflammation, as well as a decreased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR is a functional mechanism by which cells attempt to protect themselves against ER stress. Researchers analyzed these proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of elderly subjects and used computer simulation to predict the key proteins associated with these biomolecules underlying physiological adaptations to exercise. They collected blood samples about five to six days before and after the training period and analyzed various oxidative stress biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The study takes research one step further in helping to elucidate the benefits of exercise in this population.
Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation and Harrington Discovery Institute to Support Promising Research to Protect the Alzheimer’s Brain
The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland have granted an ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award to Christiane Wrann, PhD, DVM, Associate Professor in Medicine at the Cardiovascular Research Center and the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Wrann will receive funding and drug development guidance to help advance her research towards potential new therapies for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
New Year, New Habits: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Experts Weigh in on Tips to Kick-start Healthy Habits in 2023
The year 2023 is here. A new year symbolizes a fresh start and offers a renewed focus on health and well-being. Many people make resolutions regarding their health — and resolutions aren’t just for adults. They are for kids, too. Johns Hopkins Children’s Center experts are available to help parents kick-start healthy habits for their children and families in 2023.