Previously here at Guy Leech Fitness we’ve discussed the danger of the combination of health risk factors collectively known as “metabolic syndrome” but recent research from the American College of Cardiology suggests that the dangers posed may be even greater to the heart than previously thought.

A combination of any three of metabolic syndrome risk factors (obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance) increases the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. And about 25% of the adult population in countries such as the United States, Australia and Britain suffer from the metabolic syndrome.

The review of more than 70 recent studies that included nearly one million patients found that people with metabolic syndrome are up to 2.5 times more likely to die of heart-related causes and to have heart disease, a heart attack or stroke, compared to people without the syndrome.

These results clearly reinforce the need to combat the metabolic syndrome in order to reduce and perhaps even prevent heart disease.

As a society we need to be aware of just how pressing this problem is becoming (25% of the adult population) and individually we need to make the lifestyle changes (improving our diets and exercising regularly) that lower the incidence of the metabolic syndrome from occurring and each and every one of us has the ability to contribute to this for ourselves, our children and the wider community.

So come on Australia, let's turn our country from the fat to fit nation once more!

Reference: American College of Cardiology, news release, September 20^th 2010.

The movement you get in everyday life is called incidental exercise and this can play an important role in weight management, but new research out of the United States indicates that it can also be beneficial for your heart’s health, in fact the study found that those men who were moderately active at work were 10% less likely to develop heart failure while moderately active women were 20% less likely to develop heart failure.

Not surprisingly, the study also found that those who were physical activity at work, in combination to active leisure time had even greater heart health.

Results of the study were published in the September 28^th 2010 edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The research team reviewed data from two large groups of Finnish men and women. Just over 28,000 men and 29,874 women.

Activity levels are work were classified as "low" activity (e.g. Office work, or any job where you're sitting most of the day),  "Moderate" activity (e.g. Jobs that required a lot of standing and walking, such as a waitressing) or "High" levels of activity (e.g. Jobs with heavy manual labor that included walking and lifting in industrial or farm jobs).

Commuting activity was also divided into three categories: "low" meant no walking or cycling, "moderate" included up to 29 minutes of walking or cycling to get to work, and "high" was walking or bicycling more than 30 minutes daily to commute to work.

For leisure activity, the study defined "low" activity as almost completely inactive, such as reading or watching TV. "Moderate" included some physical activity for more than four hours a week, such as walking, biking, or gardening, but did not include commuting activity. "High" leisure activity included vigorous physical activity, such as running, jogging, swimming, heavy gardening or competitive sports, for more than three hours a week.

After an average 18.4 year follow-up, the researchers found that heart failure developed in 1,868 men and 1,640 women.

After adjusting for known risk factors such as age, smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol and more, the researchers found that physical activity was protective against heart disease.

Physical activity during leisure time tended to provide the most benefit. In men, moderate activity during leisure time reduced the risk of heart failure by 17% and high levels of leisure-time activity dropped the risk by 35%. In women, the risk reductions were 16 and 25% respectively.

Physical activity during work was also protective. In men, moderate activity reduced the risk of heart failure by 10 percent, while high physical activity during work reduced the risk by 17 percent. In women, moderate activity reduced the risk of heart failure by 20 percent.

They also found that any two activities combined reduced the risk of heart failure even more.

This study confirms the message -- the more activity the better and it doesn't matter where it comes from. When you’re thinking about increasing your level of physical activity don’t always think about what you do out of work hours, simply walking up a flight of stairs, getting off the bus a stop early and walking to work or walking over to a colleague to chat (rather than sending an email), all adds up and all makes a difference.

Reference: September 28^th 2010 Journal of the American College of Cardiology

In the USA more overweight teenagers are undergoing gastric banding surgery as a weight loss intervention than ever before. In fact, between 2005-2007 there was a seven-fold increase in the procedure, which constricts stomach size/capacity, being performed.

Looking at a database of bariatric surgeries in California, researchers found that gastric band operations, which constrict the stomach, increased seven-fold from 2005 to 2007.

Gastric bypass surgery, the gold standard, routes food away from much of the stomach, is proving less popular among teenagers with more signing up for banding instead.

Both operations are designed to make it difficult for people to overeat because they'll feel sick if they do.

Some experts believe the surgeries are needed, others express concern that teens may be risking their health looking for a quick fix.

In the United States many hospitals have abandoned gastric banding because of poor long-term results and concerns about chronic esophageal blockage, the need for frequent readjustments, and complications from the surgery. As with any operation, weight-loss surgery can cause serious complications, including infection, leaks, respiratory arrest, blood clots and even death.

These are not easy quick fix solutions and many in the medical profession are concerned about the popularity of weight-loss surgeries and the surgeons themselves.

Dr. Edward Livingston, a gastric surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine recently commented; "These operations clearly help some people, but they're (some surgeons) trying to sell it as a solution for everybody. If you follow the rules it works. But most people who get to be 180 kilograms aren't very good at following rules."

Obesity is a major problem for today's youth in the United States with some obese students having to be home-schooled because they don't fit into the chairs in their local public schools.

A trend that Australia is following.

Research suggests that for severely obese patients, weight-loss surgery may be the most effective method of weight loss. However this (gastric surgery) treats a symptom rather than a cause. The underlying cause being poor lifestyle habits from early in childhood even before birth due to a mother’s eating habit.

Make the lifestyle changes early enough and make healthy eating and exercise habits part of the family’s way of being and the need for such radical surgical procedures and interventions can be avoided altogether, the fact that in the US they are resorting to these surgeries as an “accepted” treatment option is an indictment on societal norms and, sadly, Australia is following these trends with childhood obesity levels increasing at rates similar to the United States.

Remember it is your family and your choice – is this the outlook you want for your children? If not make some changes today.

Reference: October 2010 edition of Pediatrics, online.

ACTIVITY LEVELS IN THE WESTERN WORLD

A damning report out of the United States indicates that only 5% of American adults do some sort of vigorous physical activity on any given day, a trend that is expected to be similar in other developed western countries such as Australia and the UK.

Analyzing data between 2003-2008 of almost 80,000 subjects over 20 years of age, respondents to a telephone survey were asked if they had done any form of vigorous exercise in the last 24 hours.

Most reported sedentary activities such as eating and drinking (95.6%) and watching television/movies (80.1%), or, at best, light physical activity such as washing and dressing (78.9%) or driving a car, truck or motorcycle (71.4%).

Less than 5% of those sampled reported vigorous physical activity such as using cardiovascular exercise equipment (e.g. Cycling, rowing at the gym, etc.) (2.2%) or running (1.1%).

When you consider that on any given day majority of the respondents to the survey listed at best light physical activity as being the most predominant form of exercise (e.g. Getting dressed) it is an indicator as to why the western world has such a rampant obesity problem.

So, ask yourself – “What have I done in the last 24 hours?”

If some form of vigorous activity hasn’t been listed then perhaps it is time for a change of lifestyle.

Food for thought.

Reference: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, news release, September 15^th, 2010.