OBJECTIVE To determine the changes in percentage of body fat, cardiovascular fitness, and insulin levels during the 3-month summer break in overweight children enrolled in a school-based fitness program. STUDY DESIGN Overweight middle-school children were randomized to a lifestyle-focused physical education class (treatment) or standard physical education class (control) for 1 school year (9 ...

Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic disorders. VO2max is the best method to assess cardio-respiratory fitness level but it is poorly adopted in clinical practice. Sudomotor dysfunction may develop early in metabolic diseases. This study aimed at comparing established CV risk evaluation techniques with SUDOSCAN; a quick and non-invasive method to...

The present study investigated the relationship between regular sport participation (soccer) and vigilance performance. Two groups of male and female adolescents differentiated in terms of their sport participation (athletes, n = 39, and non-athletes, n = 36) took part in the study. In one session, participants performed the Leger Multi-stage fitness test to estimate their aerobic fitness level...

Aim. To examine the efficacy of a six-month Kung Fu (KF) program on physical fitness in overweight/obese adolescents. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to the KF or sham exercise (Tai Chi, TC) control group. Physical measurements in cardiovascular fitness and muscle fitness occurred at baseline and after 6 months of training thrice weekly. Results. Twenty subjects were recruited. One sub...

Comparing the Roles of Physical Activity and Fitness in Arterial Stiffness: How Important Is Exposure Measurement Error? To the Editor: The article by Boreham et al1 in the November 2004 issue of Hypertension reports the associations between physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness with pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness. One of the objectives of the study was to ...

Common health issues that can be positively affected, prevented or controlled by exercise. People of all ages can improve the quality of their lives and reduce the risks of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, some cancers and type 2 diabetes with ongoing participation in moderate physical activity and exercise. Daily exercise will also enhance one’s mental well-being and promote he...

Comparing the Roles of Physical Activity and Fitness in Arterial Stiffness: How Important Is Exposure Measurement Error? To the Editor: The article by Boreham et al1 in the November 2004 issue of Hypertension reports the associations between physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness with pulse-wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness. One of the objectives of the study was to ...