American journal of preventive medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Overweight and obesity prevention for adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial in a school setting.
Given the increasing prevalence of obesity among youth over the past decade, prevention has become an international public health priority. ⋯ Although the screening and care strategy is an effective way to prevent, at 2 years, overweight and obesity among adolescents in a high school setting, its effects over and above no strategy intervention were small.
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Review Comparative Study
Health benefits of Nordic walking: a systematic review.
Modern lifestyle, with its lack of everyday physical activity and exercise training, predisposes people to chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and coronary artery diseases. Brisk walking as a simple and safe form of exercise is undisputedly an effective measure to counteract sedentary lifestyle risks even in the most unfit and could lead to a reduction of the prevalence of chronic diseases in all populations. The purpose of this review is to systematically summarize, analyze, and interpret the health benefits of Nordic walking (walking with poles), and to compare it to brisk walking and jogging. ⋯ Nordic walking exerts beneficial effects on resting heart rate, blood pressure, exercise capacity, maximal oxygen consumption, and quality of life in patients with various diseases and can thus be recommended to a wide range of people as primary and secondary prevention.
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Physical inactivity is an important modifiable risk factor for noncommunicable disease. The degree to which physical activity affects the life expectancy of Americans is unknown. ⋯ Leisure-time physical activity is associated with increases in longevity.
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It is estimated that more than 9000 high school athletes are treated for exertional heat illness annually. Risk factors include being obese and beginning practice during hot and humid weather, when athletes are not yet acclimated to physical exertion in heat. ⋯ Although most exertional heat illnesses occurred in football, athletes in all sports and all geographic areas are at risk. Because exertional heat illness frequently occurs when medical professionals are not present, it is imperative that high school athletes, coaches, administrators, and parents are trained to identify and respond to it. Implementing effective preventive measures depends on increasing awareness of exertional heat illness and relevant preventive and therapeutic countermeasures.