Here are the latest updates from research on health and wellness that may impact you:
A study published in The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology reported that adolescent girls who tried extreme dieting, had parents who were obese or who were depressed, were more likley to be obese as adults. 496 girls were followed through their teenage years to determine what adolescent behaviors could predict adult obesity. Interestingly, consumption of fatty foods, overeating and infrequent exercise did not predict obesity later in life. Furthermore, purging behaviors such as vomiting and laxative abuse were MORE likely to produce weight gain rather than weight loss.
The Boston Globe reported that scientists from Norway tracked the health of 43,000 men and women starting from the mid 1970’s to determine how smoking affected their health. The researchers found that even smoking just 1-4 cigarettes a day significantly increased ones’ risk of dying from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Women who were light smokers had a five times greater risk of dying from lung cancer and three times greater likelihood of dying from heart disease. Men had slightly lower increased risks.
Cardio first or weights first? It has long been debated by fitness enthusiasts and personal trainers. A recent small study reported that cardiovascular exercise performed before weight training produced the greatest increase in post exercise calorie expenditure. And, while this post exercise calorie burning may be minute compared to overall exercise energy consumption, it may be worth while to follow this protocol if weight loss is your goal. Anything and everything can help! Furthermore, the study also showed that weight training before cardiovascular activity decreased cardio performance. SO- unless you are a bodybuilder by profession and your primary goal is increase in muscle mass at the expense of cardiovascular health, stear clear of the common advice given at most fitness centers to perform weights first and cardio second.
