Too many calories eaten and not enough calories burned.  You know the result – weight gain.  And you likely know that an increase in weight may lead to health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.  But did you know that packing on the pounds may also contribute to problems in your head?  Specifically, a decline in your ability to process information as you get older.

According to a new study¹ from Sweden, men and women who had high a body mass index (BMI) – a measure of body fatness based on height and weight – in midlife (average age 42) were more likely to have lower cognitive scores 20 to 40 years later in life than adults who had lower BMI at midlife.  In addition, the cognitive function of those with high BMIs at midlife declined faster than men and women with a lower BMI.  The researchers accounted for age, alcohol use, smoking, and cardiovascular disease risk in the analyses so the study results seem to be independent of certain known risk factors.   Still, the exact mechanism for why this might be happening has yet to be determined.  For example, what, if any, role might dietary or physical activity differences played in this association between BMI and cognitive health?

Nonetheless, it makes sense to prevent weight gain in early, middle, and older age.   How?  Through calorie balance.  Also, in our “Flex Your Brain Muscle” blog we touched on how regular physical activity is showing promise in reducing cognitive decline with age. 

Our advice?  Keep your brain nimble by maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active.  

¹ Dahl A et al. Being overweight in midlife is associated with lower cognitive ability and steeper cognitive decline in adults. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.  2010;65A(1):57-62.

Whether you are making an effort to become a regular exerciser or you’ve noticed a decrease in your motivation to maintain a routine, take the following self assessment and see if your current exercise choices are really the "Best Fit" according to your schedule, likes and dislikes, social goals, and fitness goals.

Directions: Read the following statements and circle or select yes (Y) or no (N) regarding your agreement with the statement.

1. Y N I have well defined fitness goals.

2. Y N I know how to reach my fitness goals.

3. Y N My fitness program includes all 3 elements of fitness: cardiovascular, strength training and flexibility.

4. Y N I have access to the equipment, gym, or the classes I need.

5. Y N Time is always an issue regarding making time for exercise.

6. Y N I travel regularly and I find it difficult to work out.

7. Y N My job requires that I have lots of interaction with people daily.

8. Y N I am bored with my work out.

9. Y N I feel like exercising is "work" and not much fun.

10.Y N I have been exercising regularly for less than 3 months.

Now read the following paragraphs to get insights, and suggestions to attain a "Best Fit" exercise routine that fits your current lifestyle, attitudes, responsibilities, time demands, likes and dislikes, and social needs.

Sign up for group exercise classes if your assessment revealed any of the following: boredom, time crunch, lack of a balanced work out, and/or a job that lacks much people interaction Here is why: Group Exercise Classes provide a stimulating atmosphere with music and high energy leadership that puts some fun into the work out. Also, many classes offer a total body work out, so your time is effectively used and every component of fitness is addressed. Furthermore, you can benefit from new moves or experience new exercises. You may use fitness machines or apparatus that you otherwise wouldn’t have tried. You will be challenged afresh mentally, physically, and emotionally. Lastly, you will have a social network that supports your efforts and motivates you to keep exercising.

If your assessment revealed a big demand from others due to the nature of your work, consider choosing exercises that allow for "me time". For example for the cardiovascular segment of your workout, select a machine with a built in TV and get lost in a favorite show, sports programming, or relaxing comedy. Or you can opt to listen to your i-tunes while doing cardio, strength training and flexibility. Run, walk, or cycle outside and enjoy the quiet of nature and get refreshed, revitalized.

Lastly, if your assessment revealed a lack of well defined fitness goals, how to reach those fitness goals, travel concerns, and/or you have been exercising regularly but for less than 3 months, consider hiring a qualified personal trainer for 6-12 sessions. The trainer can assess your current level of fitness, accelerate your progress towards goals, address weaknesses you might otherwise ignore, and make sure you are on track. With their help you have a connection with a professional that you may consult from time to time to keep you motivated, safe, and moving forward.

Prochaska, J, Norcross, J, and DiClemente, C. Changing For Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively, Avon Books, Inc. NY. 1994.

We don’t do this too often in the Stand Up & Eat blog but I am going to ask you to click on the link below and read the article that it leads to, especially the last four paragraphs.  Then come back to this blog entry because I want to pose some questions to you.

Candy Maker Cut the Calories, by Cutting the Size

OK.  So the article is an in-depth story about Hershey’s new line of mini versions of some of their favorite branded candies.  Apparently, York Peppermint Patties, Almond Joy, and Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate have gone to “pieces.”   The marketing analyst quoted at the end of the article implied that people who are interested in controlling their portions of candy may be interested in these smaller pieces.

But my question is this, “Just because the candy is smaller, does it mean people will eat less?”  In fact, the only size bag of the “Pieces” candy line I have seen is one that contains multiple servings.   And research has shown that people eat more from bigger packages.¹  So, will (to borrow from an old Lay’s potato chip slogan) “Bet you can’t eat just one” (serving) come into play for many Pieces eaters?

Is this a case of “right sizing” candy or manipulating consumer demand (and capitalizing on major brand awareness) by creating a new product (and more calories) that consumer’s didn’t ask for – and don’t really need?  Do you think this new product will help or hinder consumers' effort to balance calories?

¹ Wansink B.  Can package size accelerate usage volume?  Journal of Marketing. 1996.  60;3:1-14.

As most individuals recognize, physical inactivity has been shown to increase the number of deaths from all-causes, as well as from heart disease and cancer. But what about individuals who meet the physical activity recommendations but spend most of the day sitting?  Does all that sitting have a negative impact on health?

A study performed by Dr. Katzmarzyk¹ and his associates (2009) examined the effects of prolonged sitting on all-cause and cardiovascular death rates in individuals who exercised and those who did not.  The researchers collected information about daily activities including time spent sitting in over 17,000 individuals.  They followed the subjects for an average of 12 years measuring the number of deaths and the cause.

Not surprising, researchers reported the highest death rates in persons who spent most of the day sitting.  However, all-cause and heart disease death rates were also higher in persons who spent more time sitting even if they met the recommended physical activity requirements.  In fact, death rates were similar in exercisers and nonexercisers who spent most of their day sitting.  

Researchers are studying the effects of excessive sitting on the body.  Some of the negative effects include Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity and cardiovascular disease.  Scientists believe that an active lifestyle may provide different health benefits than occur with exercise alone, providing further protection against heart disease.    

This research highlights the need to reduce sedentary behaviors by spending more time standing, walking, and climbing the stairs.  Low intensity activities like cleaning, ironing, walking the dog and yard work are excellent ways to add activity to your day while completing chores on your ”to-do" list.  For additional health benefits, focus on increasing lifestyle activities over and above structured moderate to vigorous intensity exercise bouts. 

1.  Katzmarzyk, P.T., Church, T.S., Craig, C.L., & Bouchard, C. (2009). Sitting time and Mortality from All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer. MSSE, 41(5),998-1005.

My cousin told me this week that her five-year old son had learned to count to 100 recently.  One of the ways he learned what 100 looked like was to put 100 Legos on a board.  When he finished he exclaimed, “That’s 100??  Wow!”

So I thought it would be fun to see what you would say if I showed you what 100 calories looks like for different foods.  Here goes:

¼ of a large bagel
2 slices American cheese
1 ounce pretzels
¼ cup premium ice cream
¾ can of regular soda
2/3 of single serving bag of potato chips
2/5 of small bag of regular M&Ms
1/32 of an apple pie (or ¼ of a regular slice)
4 ounce glass of wine
1.4 ounces of hard liquor
¾ bottle of beer
2 regular Oreo cookies

2 cups strawberries
4 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups chopped peppers
2 cups diced watermelon
7 cups celery
1 medium apple
4 cups cauliflower
3 cups air-popped popcorn

So, did you exclaim, “That’s 100 calories?!?!”  You were probably surprised how little 100 calories is of each of the top list foods and how much 100 calories is for the foods in the bottom list.  The top list is of foods that are high in fat, sugar and/or alcohol – and relatively few nutrients.  The bottom list shows foods that are high in fiber, water, and nutrients.

Why does 100 calories matter?  Eating just 100 calories more than you burn each day can add up to more than 10 pounds of extra weight in one year.   These lists show that you need to be especially careful to keep your portions in check when eating most snack foods.   (Check out our earlier blog posting about the downside to the 100-calorie snack packs.)  But you can eat lots of the good stuff – vegetables and many fruits – for just 100 calories. 

Which list will you be eating from more often?

The Super Bowl is over. The Saints are Super Bowl champs! Did you get your fill of football food and commercials? The conclusion of football season for many of us means that spring is just around the corner. If you believe Punxsutawney Phil who saw his shadow, however, we are in for 6 more weeks of winter. In past blogs we have discussed the decline in physical activity levels of our nation’s youth and some of the potential reasons. A recent study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity has found that inappropriate clothing is another factor that may limit or even prevent young children’s outdoor play¹. Researchers looked at 49 child-care providers from 34 child-care centers in Cincinnati to determine why children’s physical activity levels vary across the centers despite experiencing the same weather conditions. They were shocked to find that having just a few children inappropriately dressed prevented an entire day-care class from going outside to play. Clothing that affected outdoor play included:

•    Inadequate weather protection (i.e. no coat/hat/gloves in the winter)
•    Unstable footwear (i.e. flip flops)
•    “Nice” outfits (i.e. clothing that had to be treated with care)
•    Jewelry (i.e. items that have the potential to get caught in equipment)
•    Ill-fitting clothes (i.e. too lose or too tight)

The teachers that were interviewed speculated reasons as to why parents may dress their children inappropriately which included:
•    Forgetfulness
•    A “car culture”
•    A hectic morning routine
•    Limited income
•    A child’s preference for a favorite piece of clothing
•    Parents concern with child’s appearance
•    Parents failing to understand the importance of outdoor play

These findings are a major cause for concern as 75% of children ages 3 to 6 spend time in childcare.

There are many organizations who are trying to raise awareness of the decline in the level of physical activity of our children and encourage a reversal of this trend. One example is the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council who we highlighted last June in our blog titled The Other You. Since we were talking football earlier, another organization trying to boost kid’s activity levels is the NFL. The NFL has launched the NFL PLAY 60 campaign designed to tackle childhood obesity by getting kids active through in-school, after-school, and team-based programs. They even have an online child-targeted outreach on NFLRUSH.com. As part of this campaign, we here at The Cooper Institute have teamed up with NFL PLAY 60 to launch FITNESSGRAM® into schools and after-school community organizations. NFL PLAY 60 is the premier fitness assessment tool designed to educate families and students on their health related-fitness levels and to encourage healthy behaviors for a lifetime.
To learn more about NFL PLAY 60 and FITNESSGRAM® click on the links above. And remember to think about your child’s clothes before sending them to school or daycare. You may just be affecting a whole classroom’s chance to play!

¹ Copeland, K., Sherman, S., Kendeigh, C., Saelens, B., and Kalkwarf, H. Flip flops, dress clothes, and no coat: clothing barriers to children’s physical activity in child-care centers identified from a qualitative study. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 6: 74, 2009.

In last week’s blog we introduced you to the concept that eating 30 grams of protein at each meal might be a good way to help you manage your weight.  If you haven’t read the blog, check it out and come back here to learn how you can easily get your 30-30-30, even if you are a vegetarian.

Where’s the Protein?
Protein is found in all food groups.  But as you can see from the table below, meat, poultry, fish, milk products, and nuts, seeds, and legumes are the best sources.  

Complementing Proteins

Wait a minute.  What if you don’t eat meat?  You can still get plenty of protein from plant sources such as nuts and legumes.  But there is a catch.  You see protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids.  Animal proteins provide all the amino acids in the quantities your body needs.  Plant foods, except for soybeans and soy products, are low in one or more amino acids.  No worries.  You can get enough of all the important amino acids by eating a variety of plant foods (whole grains, cereals, legumes, nuts, and vegetables) each day. 

The table below shows you how easy it is for omnivores and vegan vegetarians (one doesn’t eat any animal products) to get their 30 grams of protein at each meal.  If you are a vegetarian who eats dairy products and eggs, you have many different ways to get adequate protein at every meal.
 

* These are just the primary protein sources.  Round out a healthy meal with milk, whole-grain, vegetables and fruit.

** eats animal and plant foods

How easy do you think it will be for you to get 30 grams of protein at each meal?  If you already get 90 grams per day, how do you think it helps you with your calorie balance?

Chances are you have heard news that about 2/3 of the adult U.S. population is overweight or obese.  Ever wonder where this comes from? 

The answer is The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).  This is a government run study directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   The purpose is to monitor the health status of the nation so the data can be used to develop health policies, programs, and services that target the least fit members of the U.S. population. 

In 1996, the Surgeon General’s report on physical activity and health stated that higher cardiorespiratory fitness, which is the body’s ability to use oxygen, decreases overall death rates and morbidity due to chronic diseases. The body’s ability to use oxygen is a strong predictor of many serious health conditions such as heart disease. But where does this statement come from?

While there has been supporting evidence to this statement, such as research from The Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, there has not been any NHANES data until recently. In 1999, a cardiorespiratory fitness component was added to the NHANES study to measure cardiorespiratory fitness using a treadmill test.

On January 15, cardiorespiratory fitness results for 3250 American adults ages 20-49 were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.¹  The results were broken down by age, gender, ethnic group, and body weight category.

Differences in Cardiorespiratory Fitness

* Body weight categories were based on BMI as: Normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.99 kg/m²), Overweight (BMI 25-29.99 kg/m²) and obese (BMI >30 kg/m²).

Overweight and obese Black women had significantly lower cardiorespiratory fitness than their overweight and obese White and Mexican-American counterparts.  As was the case in men, obese women of all ethnic groups had lower cardiorespiratory fitness than their normal weight counterparts.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong predictor of many future health problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This study is important because it provides the only source of cardiorespiratory fitness data that is based on a national random sample of the U.S. population. Because differences in cardiorespiratory fitness were seen in certain subgroups, the data can be used to develop health policies, programs, and services that target the least fit members of the U.S. population.    

So which category do you fit in and how can you change your data? You have the opportunity to change this data and beat public policy by finding a way to engage in one of the recommended activities from the Stand Up & Eat Active Living Library in hopes of changing this data for the better.

¹ CY Wang, WL Haskell, SW Farrell, MJ LaMonte, SN Blair, LR Curtin, JP Hughes, VL Burt. Cardiorespiratory fitness levels among US adults 20-49 years of age: Findings from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. American Journal of Epidemiology, January 2010.