Healthy Lifestyle Characteristics Among Adults in the United States
Less than three percent of Americans can be considered to be leading a healthy lifestyle, a recent study has shown. The researchers found that although three-quarters of the population surveyed were nonsmokers, the majority of subjects did not possess the remaining three healthy lifestyle characteristics. Forty percent of the participants reported having a healthy weight, which reflects the current estimate of 60 percent of the U.S. population being overweight or obese. Only 23.3 percent reported consuming the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and just 22.2 percent reported participating in at least 30 minutes of physical activity five times per week or more.
While 9.4 percent of the subjects had none of the four predetermined healthy lifestyle characteristics, 39.6 percent reported only one, 34.2 had two, 13.8 percent had 3, and just 3 percent of the population reported having all four.
Healthy diets associated with significantly fewer deaths The findings of a study published online on January 18 2006 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that individuals whose diets scored higher on one of three dietary quality scores experienced less mortality from all causes during a ten year period. |
Red meat increases risk of colorectal cancer The latest results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
|
'Do As I Say, Not As I Do' Latest Trend in Health & WellnessThe Natural Marketing Institute's 2004 Health & Wellness Trends Survey found an increasing gap between consumer attitudes (what they say) and behavior (what they actually do). Whether related to multi-vitamins, overall diet regimens, exercise patterns, environmental products, or basic nutrition intake, significant industry opportunities exist to transfer these heightened consumer attitudes into product usage. |
One-Third Of The American Diet Is Junk FoodA full third of Americans derive almost half of their energy from junk foods and alcohol. Junk foods include not only fast food restaurant fare, but "energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, which were defined as foods that do not belong in any of the 5 major food groups: dairy, fruit, grains, meat and beans, and vegetables". |
Eat more carbs, less sugar: WHO reportThe World Health Organization is calling on countries to take action on nutrition and exercise. WHO has teamed up with another United Nations organization — the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) — to warn people about the dangers of bad diets and lack of physical exercise. |
Fit And Fat-Does It Matter? t is true that exercise is beneficial even if you don't lose weight. However, being physically fit while remaining overweight leaves you with health risks that you just don't need. If you can lose weight as well as swim a mile or bike regularly, your chances of avoiding a heart attack or stroke improve. |
Diet and lifestyle set to overtake tobacco as leading killer These findings, along with escalating health care costs and aging population, argue persuasively that the need to establish a more preventive orientation in the US health care and public health systems has become more urgent. |
How do I know if I am dehydrated?You may take water for granted, but your body doesn't. Every cell, tissue and organ needs water to function properly. You also need water to keep your internal temperature stable and eliminate waste products produced by your body. |
Purine-Rich Foods, Dairy and Protein Intake, and the Risk of Gout in MenHigher levels of meat and seafood consumption are associated with an increased risk of gout, whereas a higher level of consumption of dairy products is associated with a decreased risk. Moderate intake of purine-rich vegetables or protein is not associated with an increased risk of gout. |
Lifetime Risk of Coronary Heart Disease by Cholesterol Levels at Selected AgesLifetime risk of CHD increases sharply with higher total cholesterol levels for men and women at all ages. These data support an important role for cholesterol screening in younger patients, and they may help target high-risk patients for lifestyle modification or drug therapy. |
Diet and exercise show immediate changes in biomarkers for cancer riskDiet and exercise might not be the sexiest tools researchers have in the field of cancer prevention, but they are the ones that seem to work most reliably. |
Dietary Fiber and Risk of Coronary Heart DiseaseResearchers examined 10 prospective cohort studies from the United States and Europe to estimate the association between dietary fiber intake and the risk of coronary heart disease. They concluded consumption of dietary fiber from cereals and fruits is inversely associated with risk of coronary heart disease. |
Physical Activity, Coronary Heart Disease, and Inflammatory ResponseThis study provides further evidence that leisure time physical activity, is associated with a decreased risk of CHD, effective at even moderate levels. |
Effects of Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification on Blood Pressure ControlIndividuals with above-optimal BP, including stage 1 hypertension, can make multiple lifestyle changes that lower BP and reduce their cardiovascular disease risk. |
Shed Those Pounds, Feel Better with a Nutritional MakeoverHouston financial adviser John Desenberg is into challenging sports. The 35-year-old father of three trains up to 50 hours a month for his many competitions, from skiing to adventure racing and long-range endurance events. Yet when he climbed Mount Rainier in August, Desenberg was disgusted. He was overweight and lacked energy.... |
Eat less today, live longer tomorrowGood news for reluctant dieters. Restricting your diet today has the same longevity-increasing effect as if you'd embarked on the same diet years ago, according to unpublished findings in Drosophila. Now, geneticists are on their way to identifying the genes responsible. |