Air Pollution Diminishes the Benefits of Physical Activity for Brain Health
Physical activity is recognized as one of the key healthy lifestyle behaviors that reduces the risk of developing dementia late in life. Physical activity requires increased rates of respiration. Thus, in areas with high levels of air pollution, physical activity may increase exposure to particulate matter and gases that are linked with higher risk of […]
Alcohol Consumption and Exercise Performance
Alcohol consumption is a topic that is not often discussed with respect to exercise performance. Typically, people joke about alcohol consumption, in general; and yet, alcohol abuse is a very serious subject. In addition, it has been well established that alcohol negatively affects health and exercise performance. Alcohol has been shown to result in damaging effects to […]
Client Challenge: Life-Change Stress Leads to Overeating, Unhealthy Food Choices
In this series, we’re exploring a variety of client scenarios. We describe a few tips from my science-based coaching toolbox to help you help your clients engage fully in a fit lifestyle that allows them to thrive, whatever thriving means in their lives. Today, we explore how to coach a client whose work responsibilities bring […]
Autism & Exercise — Getting Parents Up to Speed
“My child is no longer involved in occupational therapy or physical therapy, so he’s not moving as much. What should I do … ?” This is a conversation I have had many times over the last 18 years. Parents call my organization, Exercise Connection, in their search to find a logical next step. What they […]
Exercise and Energy Drinks: What Does the Research Say?
Should your clients use energy drinks to improve their exercise performance? The short answer is no. But it’s important to understand why. Energy drinks, or “EDs,” are fundamentally different from sports drinks (e.g., Gatorade) and traditional beverages like coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices and flavored water. Most contain three major components: high levels of caffeine, […]
Exercise, Type 2 Diabetes and Communities of Color
ACSM’s February release of its new consensus statement on type 2 diabetes (T2D) and physical activity is timely for Black History Month 2022 — communities of color disproportionately bear the burden of overweight/obesity and diabetes, likely due in large part to social and environmental factors. For instance, we know that a reduction in physical education […]
One Number That Knows if You Are Active Enough
Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) is a physical activity monitoring approach invented by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology around five years ago. It uses heart rate data (e.g., from a wrist-worn monitor) to provide the user with a single metric. This number reflects the amount and intensity of aerobic exercise a person […]
Why We Must Prioritize Equitable Access to Physical Activity for Children with Disabilities
Providing children with disabilities equal access to quality education is a central tenet of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This four-part American legislation governs how states, schools and public agencies provide special education and related services to more than 6.5 million children across the country. Within this legislation, students are entitled to free […]
Disparities in the Quality of Physical Activity Environments
There are race, ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in physical activity. The disparities differ by domain of physical activity (e.g., occupation, transportation), but there is consistent evidence that leisure time physical activity is lower among individuals with lower income and members of most race and ethnic minority groups. One possible explanation of these disparities […]
Air Quality and Outdoor Exercise
There is incontrovertible evidence linking poor air quality to adverse health outcomes. This is especially true for people with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, stroke, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, healthy people are at risk too. Exposure to air pollution has been linked to a higher risk of developing asthma, and recent […]