Here are summaries of some of the most recent published research on Health and Fitness. As always, Personal Best will attempt to provide you with pertinent, up -to- date information to help you be as healthy as possible. It is important to note however, that health information derived from research is continually re-evaluated and restudied- so make sure that you never take one study to be the final answer for your health and fitness needs.
– A recent small research study seems to once again prove that shorter sessions of exercise performed throughout the day provide similar health benefits to one extended session per day. Specifically, this study showed that improvements in peak oxygen consumption (the ability to work at very high levels of intensity) can be achieved through either one extended session of 30 minutes OR three short sessions of 10 minutes. SO- for busy people- squeezing in short sessions of exercise is a valuable option if you do not have the time for one extended exercise session.
– In a study that evaluated the eating patterns of over 200 monkeys, researchers showed little or no negative effects from late night eating done by some monkeys versus those monkeys that ate well timed meals throughout the day. They concluded that overall activity, and not timing of meals ,was the key to whether the monkeys gained weight or remained steady in weight. This study seems to refute the long standing belief that eating calories later in the day is one reason for weight gain. NOW- if we can just perform a study on human eating patterns, we may be able to form better conclusions about the reasons for our nation’s obesity.
– A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported greater satisfaction and less hunger, as well as improved weight loss ,when protein consumption was increased to 30% of total calories (with 20% of cals from fat and 50% from carbs). Participants ate 441 fewer calories on the higher protein diet than with their regular intake and proportions of calories. Exercise was included in this study, and therefore must be considered a factor in the success of the participants.
