Thursday, March 15, 2012

Walking cuts the effects of obesity genes

A new study introduced at a conference for the American Heart Association showed the significant effects a daily walk can have on a person's health. The study showed that walking each day can cut the effects of a genetic predisposition to obesity in half. The study tracked approximately 12,000 men and women. It used the body mass index (BMI) calculation to determine how much walking helped individuals. People who were found to have the "obesity genes" and walked for one hour each day were found to have a lower BMI.

On the contrary, the study found that watching TV for as little as 2 hours per day could increase the effects of the obesity genes by as much as 25%. Being sedentary and performing acts such as watching TV have long been shown to be detrimental to health in many different ways.

At Healing Hands, we are constantly encouraging patients to get up and move their bodies. In our community, there is a great program in the City of Evanston called WOW or Women Out Walking. This is a yearly 12-week program that encourages people to get out and get fit through daily walks. Many communities have programs such as this, so check with your local health department to see if your town offers any such program. If it doesn't, think about starting one yourself!

For more on this study, you can follow this link: http://www.healinghandsofskokie.com/walking-cuts-obesity-gene.html.

If you have any questions regarding this topic, feel free to call our office at (847) 673-6600 or visit us on the web at www.HealingHandsOfSkokie.com!

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