Machida steps in for Belfort to challenge champion Weidman following new TRT, TUE ruling in vegas

 

UFC^® ANNOUNCES THAT

LYOTO MACHIDA WILL FIGHT

CHAMPION CHRIS WEIDMAN AT UFC 173

 

Las Vegas, Nev. – The Ultimate Fighting Championship^® announced tonight that former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida will face off against UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman in the main event of UFC 173 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 24.

 

In light of today’s unexpected ruling issued by the Nevada State Athletic Commission regarding the ban of therapeutic use exemptions for testosterone replacement therapy, Vitor Belfort, Weidman’s previously announced opponent, will no longer compete at UFC 173. Belfort, who has previously been granted therapeutic use exemptions, recognizes that he needs an extended period of time to become licensed in the state of Nevada.

 

With the event scheduled to go on sale shortly, Belfort agreed to withdraw from the fight in order to allow the UFC’s promotional efforts to move forward on time.

 

“With today’s ruling by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, who’s undefeated since dropping to 185 pounds, will fight champion Chris Weidman in the main event of UFC 173 in May,” UFC President Dana White said. “Machida was dominant in his last two fights, beating Gegard Mousasi and knocking out Mark Munoz.

 

He’s earned this shot at Weidman, who’s coming off two straight wins over the greatest fighter of all time, Anderson Silva. Machida wants nothing more than to avenge the losses of his friend and training partner, and become just the third fighter in UFC history to win titles in two separate weight classes.”

 

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

 

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Singapore, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter^®, which airs on FOX Sports 1.

 

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 882 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with more than 2.7 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM^®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

UFC SUPPORTS TODAY’S RULING BY NEVADA STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION

 

 

Las Vegas, Nev. – UFC President Dana White issued a statement regarding the decision made today by the Nevada State Athletic Commission:

 

“The Ultimate Fighting Championship fully supports the decision made today by the Nevada State Athletic Commission regarding the immediate termination of therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). We believe our athletes should compete based on their natural abilities and on an even playing field. We also intend to honor this ruling in international markets where, due to a lack of governing bodies, the UFC oversees regulatory efforts for our live events. We encourage all athletic commissions to adopt this ruling.”

 

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. 

 

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Singapore, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter^®, which airs on FOX Sports 1.

 

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, to nearly 882 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with more than 2.7 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM^®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

 

Strawberries lower cholesterol: new study

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

A team of volunteers ate half a kilo of strawberries a day for a month to see whether it altered their blood parameters in any way. At the end of this unusual treatment, their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides reduced significantly, according to the analyses conducted by Italian and Spanish scientists.

Several studies had already demonstrated the antioxidant capacity of strawberries, but now researchers from the Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM, Italy), together with colleagues from the Universities of Salamanca, Granada and Seville (Spain), conducted an analysis that revealed that these fruits also help to reduce cholesterol.

The team set up an experiment in which they added 500 g of strawberries to the daily diets of 23 healthy volunteers over a month. They took blood samples before and after this period to compare data.

The results, which are published in the ‘Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry’, show that the total amount of cholesterol, the levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol) and the quantity of triglycerides fell to 8.78%, 13.72% and 20.8% respectively. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) remained unchanged.

Eating strawberries also improved other parameters such as the general plasma lipid profile, antioxidant biomarkers (such as vitamin C or oxygen radical absorbance capacity), antihemolytic defences and platelet function. All parameters returned to their initial values 15 days after abandoning ‘treatment’ with strawberries.

As Maurizio Battino, researcher at UNIVPM and Director of the study, tells SINC: “This is the first time a study has been published that supports the protective role of the bioactive compounds in strawberries in tackling recognised markers and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.”

The researcher admits that there is still no direct evidence about which compounds of this fruit are behind their beneficial effects, “but all the signs and epidemiological studies point towards anthocyanins, the vegetable pigments that afford them their red colour.”

The research team confirmed in other studies that eating strawberries also protects against ultraviolet radiation, reduces the damage that alcohol can have on the gastric mucosa, strengthens erythrocytes, or red blood cells, and improves the antioxidant capacity of the blood.

In fact, this year they will publish another study in the journal ‘Food Chemistry’ in which they will demonstrate that consuming strawberries increases the antioxidant function of blood flow, erythrocytes and mononuclear cells.

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Testosterone drugs should warn of cardiac risk, consumer group says

 

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

  

(Reuters) – Drugs used to treat low testosterone should carry strong warnings about the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen said on Tuesday.
The group has petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to add a black box warning, the most serious possible, to the product labels of the drugs.
Testosterone therapy is approved by the FDA for men who lack or have low testosterone in conjunction with an associated medical condition, such as a genetic failure of the testicles to produce testosterone.
Symptoms of low testosterone can include loss of libido, depression, decreased muscle mass and fatigue.

  

According to Public Citizen, almost 25 percent of men prescribed testosterone didn’t previously have a blood test to determine if their level was low.
The group said its petition was based on growing evidence of the risks of heart attacks and other cardiac dangers from studies dating back to 2010 and a recently published analysis of 27 studies going back as far as 20 years.
Of the 27 studies, 14 that were not funded by the pharmaceutical industry showed a “highly significant” increased risk, Public Citizen said. Thirteen were funded by drug companies and those studies showed no increased cardiovascular risk.
More of Testosterone drugs should warn of cardiac risk, consumer group says
 

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Acupuncture might treat inflammatory disease

 

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

  

Newswise — NEWARK, N.J. – When acupuncture first became popular in the western hemisphere it had its doubters. It still does. But over time, through detailed observation, scientists have produced real evidence that ancient Chinese practitioners of the medical arts were onto something.
Now new research documents a direct connection between the use of acupuncture and physical processes that could alleviate sepsis, a condition that often develops in hospital intensive care units, springs from infection and inflammation, and takes an estimated 250,000 lives in the United States every year.
“Sepsis is the major cause of death in the hospital,” says Luis Ulloa, an immunologist at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School who led the study, which has been published by the journal Nature Medicine. “But in many cases patients don’t die because of the infection. They die because of the inflammatory disorder they develop after the infection. So we hoped to study how to control the inflammatory disorder.”
The researchers already knew that stimulation of one of the body’s major nerves, the vagus nerve, triggers processes in the body that reduce inflammation, so they set out to see whether a form of acupuncture that sends a small electric current through that and other nerves could reduce inflammation and organ injury in septic mice. Ulloa explains that increasing the current magnifies the effect of needle placement, and notes that electrification is already FDA-approved for treating pain in human patients.
When electroacupuncture was applied to mice with sepsis, molecules called cytokines that help limit inflammation were stimulated as predicted, and half of those mice survived for at least a week. There was zero survival among mice that did not receive acupuncture.
Ulloa and his team then probed further, to figure out exactly why the acupuncture treatments had succeeded. And they made a discovery that, on its face, was very disappointing. They found that when they removed adrenal glands – which produce hormones in the body – the electroacpuncture stopped working. That discovery, on its face, presented a big roadblock to use of acupuncture for sepsis in humans, because most human cases of sepsis include sharply reduced adrenal function. In theory, electroacupuncture might still help a minority of patients whose adrenal glands work well, but not many others.

  

So the researchers dug even deeper – to find the specific anatomical changes that occurred when electroacupuncture was performed with functioning adrenal glands. Those changes included increased levels of dopamine, a substance that has important functions within the immune system. But they found that adding dopamine by itself did not curb the inflammation. They then substituted a drug called fenoldopam that mimics some of dopamine’s most positive effects, and even without acupuncture they succeeded in reducing sepsis-related deaths by 40 percent.
Ulloa considers the results a double triumph.
On the one hand, he says, this research shows physical evidence of acupuncture’s value beyond any that has been demonstrated before. His results show potential benefits, he adds, not just for sepsis, but treating other inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and Crohn’s disease.
On the other hand, by also establishing that a drug reduced sepsis deaths in mice, he has provided an innovative roadmap toward developing potential drugs for people. That roadmap may be crucial, because no FDA-approved drug to treat sepsis now exists.
“I don’t even know whether in the future the best solution for sepsis will be electroacupuncture or some medicine that will mimic electroacupuncture,” Ulloa concludes. The bottom line, he says, is that this research has opened the door to both.

####

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The functional movement circle for older adults: feasibility and effects on physical performance

Aging Clin Exp Res. 2014 Feb 21. [Epub ahead of print]
The functional movement circle for older adults: feasibility and effects on physical performance.
Morat T1, Mechling H.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
To facilitate the transfer of exercise effects to older adults’ everyday life, essential daily life movements (stair climbing and walking on different surfaces) were embedded into the functional movement circle for older adults (FuMoC) — a systematic balance and resistance training programme supplemented by functional movements.
AIMS:
This study’s aim was to consider the feasibility of the FuMoC and to evaluate the effects of this new training programme in a randomised controlled pilot study.
METHODS:
Twenty-one adults aged 60 years and older were randomised into one of two groups. The intervention group (IG; n = 11) trained for 12 weeks in the FuMoC, while the control group (CG; n = 10) maintained their usual activities. The evaluation of feasibility comprised training attendance, realised intensity of load, and perceived exertion. Outcome variables included measures of strength and performance-based tests of mobility-related activities.

  

RESULTS:
Training attendance was 86 % and the prescribed intensity of load was realised by the participants in the IG. Physical performance showed significant improvements in the IG in comparison to the CG: an increase of 24 % in the One-Repetition Maximum test in the chest press (p < 0.05), of 9-13 % in the modified Timed Up and Go test (p < 0.05), and of 10 % in the Maximal Step Length test (p < 0.05) was identified.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the FuMoC study was feasible in terms of compliance (training attendance) and the planned exercise regimen (suitable exercises, intensity, and exertion) and showed positive effects on physical performance.
Source
More about functional movement at Gray Cook’s Amazon page

  

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Regardless of exercise, too much sedentary time is linked to major disability after 60

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

CHICAGO — If you’re 60 and older, every additional hour a day you spend sitting is linked to doubling the risk of being disabled — regardless of how much moderate exercise you get, reports a new Northwestern Medicine® study.

The study is the first to show sedentary behavior is its own risk factor for disability, separate from lack of moderate vigorous physical activity. In fact, sedentary behavior is almost as strong a risk factor for disability as lack of moderate exercise.

If there are two 65-year-old women, one sedentary for 12 hours a day and another sedentary for 13 hours a day, the second one is 50 percent more likely to be disabled, the study found.

“This is the first time we’ve shown sedentary behavior was related to increased disability regardless of the amount of moderate exercise,” said Dorothy Dunlop, professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “Being sedentary is not just a synonym for inadequate physical activity.”

Disability affects more than 56 million Americans. It’s defined by limitations in being able to do basic activities such as eating, dressing or bathing oneself, getting in and out of bed and walking across a room. Disability increases the risk of hospitalization and institutionalization and is a leading source of health care costs, accounting for $1 in $4 spent.

The study will be published February 19 in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.

The finding — that being sedentary was almost as strong a risk factor for disability as lack of moderate vigorous activity — surprised Dunlop.

"It means older adults need to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting, whether in front of the TV or at the computer, regardless of their participation in moderate or vigorous activity,” she said.

The study focused on a sample of 2,286 adults aged 60 and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It compared people in similar health with the same amount of moderate vigorous activity. Moderate activity is walking briskly, as if you are late to an appointment.

The participants wore accelerometers from 2002 to 2005 to measure their sedentary time and moderate vigorous physical activity. The accelerometer monitoring is significant because it is objective. The older and heavier people are, the more they tend to overestimate their physical activity. Previous research indicated a relationship between sedentary behavior and disability but it was based on self-reports and, thus, couldn’t be verified.

Because the study examines data at one point in time, it doesn’t definitively determine sedentary behavior causes disability. “It draws attention to the fact that this is a potential problem,” said Dunlop, who is doing a longitudinal study on sedentary behavior and disability risk.

Studies with animals have shown immobility is a separate risk factor for negative effects on health. “This is the first piece of objective evidence that corroborates the animal data,” Dunlop said.

To cut down on sitting time, Dunlop has the following suggestions:

1. Stand up when you talk on the phone or during a work meeting.
2. When you go to grocery store or mall, park in a space farthest away.
3. When you get up to have glass of water, walk around the house or office.
4. Walk for short errands instead of taking the car.
5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, if you are able.

Dunlop wears a device on her wrist that tracks her steps and is synced to her smartphone and computer. She’s created a social circle with her friends and family, so they can keep track of each other’s progress.

“It’s great reinforcement to keep moving,” Dunlop said.

Rowland Chang, M.D., senior associate dean for public health at Feinberg, is a coauthor on the paper.

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Shawn Cameron fights for Wounded Warriors on February 27th in Brooklyn

Shawn Cameron fights for Wounded Warriors on February 27th in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, NY (FEBRUARY 11, 2014)--On Thursday night, February 27th at the Millennium Theater, Dmitry Salita's Star of David Promotions will present a special night of boxing that will be highlighted by a n eight round cruiserweight bout between Steve Bujaj and Elvin Sanchez. One of the featured undercard bouts will be undefeated Jr. Middleweight Shawn Cameron against Ibrihim Shabazz (2-2-1) in a fight scheduled for six rounds. Cameron of Brooklyn has a perfect mark of 6-0 with 4 knockouts and will be fighting in support of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). The organization hits close to home as Cameron served two tours of duty for the United States Army and was in Iraq in 2003. The vision of WWP is to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service members; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. "I did two tours back to back when I was 18 years-old,"said Cameron. "I thank G-d that I came back 100% healthy both mentally and physically." "People do not understand what these men and woman go through and it took for my best friend to get killed and for a lot of my friends to get injured and then it hit me that I have a chance to help these people. Besides the physical injuries there is mental trauma. I recently got involved with the Wounded Warrior Project . It is the least I can do." "A lot of these guys come home and just feel lost, physically incapable of doing simple tasks due to injury. I could go on for days, these guys just need all the support they can get and the wounded warrior project is definitely doing a good job helping them. "By me fighting it raises awareness and hopefully I can help a lot. Sometimes these heroes need moral support more than anything financial. If it wasn't for the military, I wouldn't be boxing. One day in the desert, we were boxing and that led to me competing in some smoker tournaments in Korea." When Cameron got back home he took up boxing and had a short amateur career but in that time he won the 2008 Golden Gloves tournament and was a semi-finalist in 2008 and 2010. He was a 2009 Metro finalist and a 2010 national PAL quarter-finalist at 152 pounds. In an eight round lightweight co-feature, Michal Chudecki (8-0-1, 3 KO's) of Poznan, Poland takes on Edward Valdez (12-10-2, 9 KO's) of New York. In six round bouts: Steve Martinez (13-1, 10 KO's) of New York takes on an opponent to be named in a Jr. middleweight bout. In a super featherweight bout, Angel Garcia (6-2, 2 KO's) of Brooklyn, NY battles an opponent to be named. In a middleweight bout, Akil Aguste (3-1, 3 KO's) of Brooklyn, NY battles Donnie Dukes (0-6) of Albany, NY. In four round bouts: Peter Reyes (4-0, 2 KO's) of New York fights Michael Mitchell (2-3-2) of Paterson, NJ in a middleweight bout. Dimash Niyazov (4-0-2, 3 KO's) of Staten Island, NY will fight Carlos Nieves (0-5) of Brooklyn, NY in a Jr. welterweight bout. Marcos Suarez (1-0-1) of Bronx, NY will square off with Jean Hernandez (0-1) of Bronx, NY in a lightweight bout. Tickets can be purchased at www.dsalita.com, eli@dsalita.com or by calling (646)481-5558 Ticket priced at $125 (VIP), $100 (Ringside), $80, $60 & $40.

dmitriy@dsalita.com

 

Exercise targets mitochondria to improve heart function: first-ever finding

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

  

Whether lifting weights in a gym or just walking around the block, exercise has many benefits, such as helping people lose weight and build stronger muscles. Some studies suggest that it may reduce the risk of developing cancer and other diseases. Researchers now report in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research that moderate, long-term physical activity appears to improve cardiovascular health in mice by targeting the heart cells’ powerhouses — the mitochondria.
Eduard Sabidó, head of the Proteomics Unit at the Centre for Genomic Regulation, in Barcelona, Spain, Francisco Amado and colleagues explain that despite the well-documented benefits of exercise, the exact way that it helps the heart is not well understood. Sure, it helps strengthen the heart muscle so it can pump more blood throughout the body more efficiently. And people who get off the couch and exercise regularly have a reduced risk of developing heart problems and cardiovascular disease. One estimate even claims that 250,000 deaths every year in the U.S. are at least partially due to a lack of exercise. But how this all happens in the body at the molecular level has perplexed researchers — until now.

 

 

The team found that laboratory mice (stand-ins for humans) that exercised for 54 weeks on a treadmill-running regimen had higher levels of certain proteins in the mitochondria of their heart cells than did mice that did not exercise. Mitochondria produce energy for the body’s cells. In particular, they identified two proteins, kinases called RAF and p38, which “seem to trigger the beneficial cardiovascular effects of lifelong exercise training,” they say.

###

 

The authors acknowledge funding from the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, QREN, FEDER and COMPETE.
Reference work: Ferreira R, Vitorino R, Padrao AI, Espadas G, Mancuso FM, Moreira-Gonçalves D, Castro-Sousa G, Henriques-Coelho T, Oliveira PA, Barros AS, Duarte JA, Sabido E, Amado F. “Lifelong Exercise Training Modulates Cardiac Mitochondrial Phosphoproteome in Rats”. Journal of Proteome Research, DOI: 10.1021/pr4011926 (2014).
Source
RELATED
ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine:: A Clinician’s Guide to Exercise Prescription

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How college athletes are putting themselves at risk for long-term health problems

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

Newswise — MAYWOOD, IL –

College athletes are putting themselves at risk for health problems that could persist long after they graduate, warns Loyola University Medical Center sports medicine physician Dr. Pietro Tonino.

“Parents who push their children to specialize in one sport and train extensively in order to win athletic scholarships should be aware there could be long-term health consequences,” Tonino said.

Tonino cites a recent study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers at Indiana University surveyed two groups of middle-aged college graduates. A group of former Division 1 athletes was compared with nonathletes who participated in recreational activities, club sports or intramurals during college. (Tonino was not involved in the study.)

The former athletes reported worse physical function, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances and pain interference than nonathletes. The athletes also reported more limitations in daily activities and more major and chronic injuries.

Tonino noted that a group of Northwestern University football players recently launched an effort to unionize college athletes. Among the goals of the College Athletes Players Association is to obtain guaranteed coverage for sports-related medical expenses for current and former players. The association also wants to minimize the risk of sports-related traumatic brain injury.

Tonino said improvements in equipment and playing surfaces have reduced the risk of injuries to college athletes. Recent rule changes also are designed to make sports safer.

“We should continue to explore new ways to make college sports as safe and as injury-free as possible,” Tonino said.

Tonino is an orthopaedic surgeon who has performed thousands of surgeries on injured athletes. He is program director of Sports Medicine and a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

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Kids’ backpack pain can be avoided

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

Eur Spine J. 2013 Apr;22(4):782-7. doi: 10.1007/s00586-012-2558-7. Epub 2012 Nov 10.

Effects of a postural education program on school backpack habits related to low back pain in children.

Vidal J, Borràs PA, Ponseti FJ, Cantallops J, Ortega FB, Palou P. Author information Exercise and Sports Science Research Group, University of Balearic Islands, Ctra. Valldemossa km.7’5, Edifici Guillem Cifre de Colonya, Palma of Majorca 07122, Spain. josep.vidal@uib.es

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Population based studies have demonstrated that children and adolescents often complain of low back pain. A group-randomized controlled trial was carried out to investigate the effects of a postural education program on school backpack habits related to low back pain in children aged 10-12 year.

METHODS:

The study sample included 137 children aged 10.7 years (SD = 0.672). Six classes from two primary schools were randomly allocated into experimental group (EG) (N = 63) or control group (CG) (N = 74). The EG received a postural education program over 6 weeks consisting of six sessions, while the CG followed the usual school curriculum. A questionnaire was fulfilled by the participants at pre-test, post-test, and 3 months after the intervention finished. The outcomes collected were: (1) try to load the minimum weight possible, (2) carry school backpack on two shoulders, (3) belief that school backpack weight does not affect to the back, and (4) the use of locker or something similar at school. A sum score was computed from the four items.

RESULTS:

Single healthy items mostly improved after the intervention and remained improved after 3-month follow-up in EG, while no substantial changes were observed in the CG. Healthy backpack use habits score was significantly increased at post-test compared to baseline in the EG (P < 0.000), and remained significantly increased after 3-month, compared to baseline (P = 0.001). No significant changes were observed in the CG (P > 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS:

The present study findings confirm that children are able to learn healthy backpack habits which might prevent future low back pain.

Source

Aerobic training increases pain tolerance in healthy individuals

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

 Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print]

Aerobic Training Increases Pain Tolerance in Healthy Individuals.

Jones MD, Booth J, Taylor JL, Barry BK. Author information 1School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia 2Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract

The hypoalgesic effects of acute exercise are well documented. However, the effect of chronic exercise training on pain sensitivity is largely unknown.

PURPOSE:

To examine the effect of aerobic exercise training on pain sensitivity in healthy individuals.

METHODS:

Pressure pain threshold, ischemic pain tolerance and pain ratings during ischemia were assessed in 24 participants before and after 6 weeks of structured aerobic exercise training (n=12) or following 6 weeks of usual physical activity (n=12). The exercise training regimen consisted of cycling 3 times per week for 30 min at 75% of maximal oxygen consumption reserve.

RESULTS:

Significant increases in aerobic fitness (p = 0.004) and ischemic pain tolerance (p = 0.036) were seen in the exercise group following training, while pressure pain threshold and pain ratings during ischemia were unchanged (p > 0.2). No change in aerobic fitness (p > 0.1) or pain sensitivity (p > 0.1) was observed in the control group.

CONCLUSION:

Moderate-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise training increases ischemic pain tolerance in healthy individuals.

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Lifestyle factors and inflammation: associations by body mass index

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

One. 2013 Jul 2;8(7):e67833. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067833. Print 2013.

Lifestyle factors and inflammation: associations by body mass index

Kantor ED, Lampe JW, Kratz M, White E. Author information Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.

 Abstract

 Chronic inflammation, which is associated with obesity, may play a role in the etiology of several diseases.

Thus, reducing inflammation may offer a disease-prevention strategy, particularly among the obese.

Several modifiable factors have been associated with inflammation, including: dietary fiber intake, saturated fat intake, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, and use of certain supplements and medications (glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oil, vitamin E, statins and aspirin).

To study whether these associations differ by body mass index (BMI), we used data on 9,895 adults included in the 1999-2004 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Survey-weighted linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between modifiable factors and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations across the following groups: underweight/normal weight (BMI<25 kg/m(2)), overweight (25-<30 kg/m(2)) and obese (30+ kg/m(2)).

While several factors were significantly associated with decreased hsCRP among the normal weight or overweight groups (increased fiber intake, lower saturated fat intake, physical activity, not smoking, and use of chondroitin, fish oil and statins), only increasing dietary fiber intake and moderate alcohol consumption were associated with reduced hsCRP among the obese.

Effect modification by BMI was statistically significant for the saturated fat-hsCRP and smoking-hsCRP associations.

These results suggest that posited anti-inflammatory drugs and behaviors may be less strongly associated with inflammation among the obese than among lower weight persons.

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Lifestyle modification may be beneficial in the prevention of CV mortality for overweight persons

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

Prev Med. 2014 Jan 31. pii: S0091-7435(13)00458-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.12.004. [Epub ahead of print]
Is the Association between Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Cardiovascular Mortality Modified by Overweight Status? The Japan Collaborative Cohort Study.

Eguchi E1, Iso H2, Tanabe N3, Yatsuya H4, Tamakoshi A5; on behalf of the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study Group. Author information 1 Department of Public Health, Social Medicine and Medical Informatics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan. 2 Public Health, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address: iso@pbhel.med.osaka-u.ac.jp. 3 Division of Health Promotion, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan. 4 Department of Public Health, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan. 5 Department of Public Health, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To examine the modifying effects of overweight status on the association of healthy lifestyle behaviors with cardiovascular mortality in Japanese population.

METHODS:

A community-based, prospective cohort of 18,730 men and 24,216 women aged 40-79years without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer at baseline (1988-1990) was followed through until 2009. Healthy lifestyle behaviors included intake of fruits, fish, and milk; exercise; avoidance of smoking; moderate alcohol intake; and moderate sleep duration.

RESULTS:

During the median of 19.3years follow-up, there were 2,412 deaths from total CVD. Inverse associations between healthy lifestyle scores and mortality from stroke, total CVD, and coronary heart disease (CHD) were observed for non-overweight and overweight (body mass index ≥25kg/m2), although the association was weaker for overweight. The multivariable hazard ratios (HRs, 95% confidence interval) of mortality from total CVD for the highest (6-7) versus lowest (0-2) scores were 0.44 (0.37-0.54) for non-overweight and 0.56 (0.39-0.81) for overweight individuals. Especially for CHD mortality, such association was more evident for non-overweight compared to that for overweight.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings suggest that lifestyle modification may be beneficial in the prevention of cardiovascular mortality for persons with and without overweight.

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Sub-optimal sleep may activate depressive genes, increase risk for major depression

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

DARIEN, IL – A genetic study of adult twins and a community-based study of adolescents both report novel links between sleep duration and depression. The studies are published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

 “Healthy sleep is a necessity for physical, mental and emotional well-being,” said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. M. Safwan Badr. “This new research emphasizes that we can make an investment in our health by prioritizing sleep.”

A study of 1,788 adult twins is the first to demonstrate a gene by environment interaction between self-reported habitual sleep duration and depressive symptoms. Results suggest that sleep durations outside the normal range increase the genetic risk for depressive symptoms. Among twins with a normal sleep duration of seven to 8.9 hours per night, the total heritability of depressive symptoms was 27 percent. However, the genetic influence on depressive symptoms increased to 53 percent among twins with a short sleep duration of five hours per night and 49 percent among those who reported sleeping 10 hours per night.

“We were surprised that the heritability of depressive symptoms in twins with very short sleep was nearly twice the heritability in twins sleeping normal amounts of time,” said principal investigator Dr. Nathaniel Watson, associate professor of neurology and co-director of the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center in Seattle, Wash. “Both short and excessively long sleep durations appear to activate genes related to depressive symptoms,” added Watson, who also serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

According to Watson, the study suggests that optimizing sleep may be one way to maximize the effectiveness of treatments for depression such as psychotherapy. Another study of 4,175 individuals between 11 and 17 years of age is the first to document reciprocal effects for major depression and short sleep duration among adolescents using prospective data. Results suggest sleeping six hours or less per night increases the risk for major depression, which in turn increases the risk for decreased sleep among adolescents.

“These results are important because they suggest that sleep deprivation may be a precursor for major depression in adolescents, occurring before other symptoms of major depression and additional mood disorders,” said principal investigator Dr. Robert E. Roberts, professor of behavioral sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas.

“Questions on sleep disturbance and hours of sleep should be part of the medical history of adolescents to ascertain risk.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about nine percent of adults in the U.S. meet the criteria for current depression, including four percent with major depression. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that depressive disorders have affected approximately 11 percent of U.S. teens at some point during their lives, and three percent have experienced a seriously debilitating depressive disorder.

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