(Press-News.org) Contact information: Brian Wansink
wansink@cornell.edu
607-229-3896
Cornell Food & Brand Lab
The secret to fewer doctor office visits after 70 -- play high school sports
Fit in 50 years: participation in high school sports best predicts one's physical activity after age 70
Seventy year olds who don't frequently visit the doctor have something unexpected in common – most played high school sports. They were active on a team over 50 years ago and are more likely to be active into their late 70s.
The new study, titled "Fit in 50 Years," was published in BMC Public Health looked at what factors of behavior, background, and personality impact the healthfulness of men over 70. The study was conducted by researchers Brian Wansink PhD of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab and Simone Dohle PhD of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich.
The study tracked 712 World War II veterans who were healthy as young men – they had passed a rigorous physical exam when being screened for the military—and surveyed them 50 years later at average of 78 years. The most surprising result was that those who had played a high school sport in the 1930s or early 1940s, reported visiting their doctor fewer times a year.
Also, the best predictor of whether a healthy young man would regularly exercise 50 years later was simply whether he had played a team or individual sport in high school. Many of those who played a high school sport were still active compared to those who didn't.
Decreased physical activity among youth is a rising concern in the US. Inactive children are more likely to be obese and suffer from mental and physical health problems. One way to further assess the importance of physical activity in children and adolescents is to look at the long-term impacts of physical activity on overall health and wellbeing, as this study did. The results emphasize the necessity of encouraging youths to regularly engage in athletic programs and other exercise activities such as swimming or dance. Physical activity programs are often hurt by budget cuts, leaving children with fewer or no opportunities to be active on a regular basis. This study provides evidence that can be used to inform schools, youth centers, and program funders about the long-term, hugely positive impact of providing opportunities for children and adolescents to engage in physical activities.
INFORMATION:
The secret to fewer doctor office visits after 70 -- play high school sports
Fit in 50 years: participation in high school sports best predicts one's physical activity after age 70
2013-12-30
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
NASA's TRMM satellite sees new Tropical Depression forming near Australia's Kimberly coast
2013-12-28
NASA's TRMM satellite sees new Tropical Depression forming near Australia's Kimberly coast
Low pressure System 98S appears ripe to form into Tropical Cyclone 05S as NASA satellite imagery is showing some hot towering clouds in the storm and heaviest rains south of ...
New study: High mortality in Central Southern states most likely due to smoking
2013-12-27
New study: High mortality in Central Southern states most likely due to smoking
'Geographic divergence in mortality in the United States,' by Andrew Fenelon
NEW YORK (26 December 2013) — Between 1965 and 2004, the distribution of states with the highest mortality ...
How does Rho-associated protein kinase modulate neurite extension?
2013-12-27
How does Rho-associated protein kinase modulate neurite extension?
Rho-associated protein kinase is an essential regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics during the process of neurite extension. However, whether Rho kinase regulates microtubule remodeling or the distribution ...
Normobaric oxygen preconditioning for cerebral ischemic injury
2013-12-27
Normobaric oxygen preconditioning for cerebral ischemic injury
Normobaric oxygen has the rapid and non-invasive characteristics and may have therapeutic effects on ischemic/hypoxic disease. Dr. Chunhua Chen and colleagues from Peking University, China found ...
Chitosan conduits combined with NGF microspheres repair facial nerve defects
2013-12-27
Chitosan conduits combined with NGF microspheres repair facial nerve defects
The chitosan molecule can promote nerve cell adherence and growth along the surface of the material. It can enhance the adherence and influx of Schwann cells, thus encouraging the growth ...
Finnish research to revolutionise indications for knee surgery
2013-12-27
Finnish research to revolutionise indications for knee surgery
The Finnish Degenerative Meniscal Lesion Study (FIDELITY) compared surgical treatment of degenerative meniscal tears to placebo surgery. A year after the procedure the study participants, ...
Surgery vs. non-invasive treatment -- Which is better for herniated discs?
2013-12-27
Surgery vs. non-invasive treatment -- Which is better for herniated discs?
8 year results from SPORT study show better long-term outcomes with surgery
Philadelphia, Pa. (December 27, 2013) - For patients with herniated discs in the lower (lumbar) spine, ...
Stroke researchers report improvement in spatial neglect with prism adaptation therapy
2013-12-27
Stroke researchers report improvement in spatial neglect with prism adaptation therapy
Benefits shown in subset of patients with spatial neglect following right brain stroke. Findings support behavioral classification and early intervention
West Orange, NJ. ...
Malaria drug target raises hopes for new treatments
2013-12-27
Malaria drug target raises hopes for new treatments
Scientists have taken an important step towards new malaria treatments by identifying a way to stop malaria parasites from multiplying.
In a study published in Nature Chemistry, they show that blocking ...
Innovative screening strategy swiftly uncovers new drug candidates, new biology
2013-12-27
Innovative screening strategy swiftly uncovers new drug candidates, new biology
Scripps Research Institute scientists use method to identify compound with promise for obesity-linked diabetes
LA JOLLA, CA—December 22, 2013—Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate
Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine
[Press-News.org] The secret to fewer doctor office visits after 70 -- play high school sportsFit in 50 years: participation in high school sports best predicts one's physical activity after age 70