Research Highlights and News
Looking for new health and fitness story ideas? Check out these recent research articles from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise® and Current Sports Medicine Reports
Weight Training is Related to Lower Risk of Colon Cancer
Studies have shown that participation in aerobic physical activity (e.g., walking, jogging) is associated with lower risk of cancer, yet it is unknown whether strength training can also lower cancer risk. In this study, the authors examined time spent weightlifting and how it is related to future risk of 10 different types of cancer. More than 215,000 adults completed a questionnaire that asked about various lifestyle factors, including time spent weightlifting. After 6-7 years of follow-up, the investigators found colon cancer diagnoses to be 22-25% lower in participants who lifted weights weekly compared to those who did not lift weights. Participants who lifted weights also appeared to have a modest reduction of kidney cancer risk, but the authors noted that more research is needed to confirm this finding. This study underlines the importance of strength training for health, including the possible prevention of certain cancers. View the article or contact the investigator
The Role of Exercise in Preventing and Treating Depression
Depression is a leading cause of global burden. The mainstay of treatment is pharmacological and psychological interventions. While effective, not all people will respond to those treatments, and alternative approaches for preventing and treating depression are required. Recent literature has demonstrated that higher physical activity (PA) levels and exercise confer protective effects on incident depression. Also, exercise has demonstrated efficacy on reducing symptoms for people with depression. Despite its effectiveness, similar to other treatments, some people may benefit more from exercise and identifying these potential predictors of response is necessary to deal with patients’ and professionals’ expectations. Dropout from exercise interventions is comparable to dropout from other treatments for depression and similar to dropout from exercise in other clinical populations. However, some strategies to increase adherence are important. Authors provide an updated overview of the use of PA and exercise for the prevention and treatment of depression. View the article.
Does Physical Activity Need to be Accumulated in Bouts of 10 Minutes?
Traditionally, physical activity recommendations have focused on accumulating moderate-to-vigorous physical activity either in a continuous manner like a 30-minute run or in short bouts performed throughout the day. However, most daily activity is performed sporadically and in bouts that are typically shorter than 10 minutes. Therefore, investigators reviewed the scientific evidence to determine whether physical activity episodes of ≤10 minutes provided health-related benefits, or if the benefits of physical activity are only achieved when the activity duration is ≥10 minutes. Researchers found that physical activity accumulated in bouts ≤10 minutes was associated with a variety of positive health-related outcomes. This is of particular importance for individuals who are unwilling or unable to engage in physical activity for ≥10 minutes. These findings provide evidence for behavioral recommendations that promote using stairs and parking further away from one’s destination. Lastly, these findings contribute to an emerging area of research that suggests all physical activity, regardless of its duration, has health-related benefits. View the article or contact the investigator
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The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 members and certified professionals from around the world are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. Find details at www.acsm.org.
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