Category Archives: Weight Loss

A recent study of individual counties in the United States finds that, on average, both obesity rates and exercise rates are increasing in the United States. In the study, a sufficient level of exercise was defined as 75 minutes of intense exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. In the majority of counties, men were found to be getting sufficient weekly exercise more frequently than women, though women made more progress in this area than men over the course of the study period. While researchers can basically only speculate as to why the phenomena would simultaneously occur, it may have something to do with the fact that preventing obesity is fairly easy to do on paper. Making healthy food choices, getting better sleep and getting at least some exercise are all quite simple and can help curb obesity. However, not going far enough will likely do little.

A new report from the American Heart Association indicates that pet ownership is a great way for a person to reduce their risk of heart disease, especially if that pet is a dog. According to Dr. Glenn Levine, a medicine professor and author of the report, many studies have been conducted on this phenomenon over the past 10 years or so. The AHA report explains that owning a pet could have a positive influence on several risk factors that contribute to heart disease, such as poor exercise habits, obesity and hypertension, also known as high blood pressure.