time2exercise

Spiralling obesity rates in remote communities could blow out the life expectancy gap between non-indigenous and indigenous Australians, the head of the Australian Medical Association of Queensland says.

After concluding a five-day tour of health services on Cape York and the Torres Strait islands, AMA Queensland president Richard Kidd said conditions were worse than he expected.

He said obesity was already causing high levels of diabetes in children and adults, as well as a litany of other health problems.

Children as young as eight were presenting with type 2 diabetes, he said... read more

It might sound too good to be true, but according to a study by Tel Aviv University, a low-calorie meal plan that includes dessert with breakfast may help dieters.

In the randomised study, 193 obese people were separated into two diet groups, both totaling 1400 calories for women and 1600 for men. The two diets were identical except one had a 600 calorie high-carborhydrate, protein-enriched breakfast with a choice of chocolate, cookies, cake or ice cream for dessert. The second group was restricted to a 300 calorie low-carb breakfast... read more

WHILE many Australians hit the gym as a combative strategy in the battle of the bulge, a study has found some are fighting on the opposing side - for the bulge.

More than 10 per cent of weightlifters, in a study conducted by Southern Cross University in northern NSW, believe that they are too small, and may suffer from a psychological disorder known as muscle dysmorphia.

The condition dubbed as `manorexia,' results in sufferers being determined to become more muscular, despite some exhibiting more muscles than the average person... read more

Dec. 15, 2011 -- Older men who walk at least 3 miles an hour need not fear the Reaper. They stay ahead of him and tend to outlive guys who move along at a slower pace, new research reveals.

In the study, published in the Christmas issue of the journal BMJ, Australian scientists attempted to nail down the Grim Reaper's walking speed. (The usually straitlaced journal loosens up this time of year with offbeat scientific papers like this one.).. read more

MANY Australian children are too inactive, with more than half of the primary students and almost three-quarters of the high school students in a survey spending more than the recommended time each day in front of a TV, computer or other screen.

As well, the ability to carry out basic physical skills correctly, such as jumping and throwing a ball, has declined since 2004, the survey of more than 8000 students found... read more

BRAVING the crowds at the annual Sculpture by the Sea is an early summer ritual for tens of thousands of Sydneysiders. But not everyone is enjoying the view on the crowded cliffside paths between Bondi and Tamarama, and conflicts between determined joggers, dog-walkers and art-lovers may be inevitable. But one group keeps getting singled out.

''We do get a handful of complaints each show from members of the public about joggers,'' said the founding director of Sculpture by the Sea, David Handley... read more

Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) is against a new proposal by the Victorian division of general practice to award Medicare rebates to patients working out with personal trainers... read more

RUNWAY shows are expensive illusions, transporting the front row to a fantasy world of immaculately groomed women gliding effortlessly in lavish lace or sleek leather.
All it takes is a single model to stumble on her stiletto heel for the illusion to be shattered. It's the moment the ready-to-wear shows turn into an episode of Funniest Home Videos.

Last week in Tokyo a model became runway roadkill during Sara Arai's show, losing her grip on the catwalk's smooth surface... read more

Teenagers who go to bed early are much less likely to be obese and have a better chance of being physically fit, compared to peers go to sleep late, researchers from the University of South Australia reported in the journal Sleep. The authors added that teenagers who go to bed later but sleep the same number of hours each day as those who put their heads down earlier have a higher risk of becoming overweight and unfit... read more

CHILD-sized gyms with weight benches, treadmills and rowers for those as young as three are being set up in family homes and childcare centres.

But mini-gyms for tots - the latest salvo in the fight against childhood obesity - have been criticised as going too far and potentially dangerous if not monitored, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Childcare centres are setting up gym rooms, some charging a small membership fee for toddlers, fitness equipment companies say... read more

KEEPING fit is a high priority for Katharine Crowe-Mai, with the Sydney bar manager finding time to exercise almost every day.

But when the 21-year-old began taking on more graveyard shifts about a year ago, she felt her body needed an extra boost.

"I work out a lot and I was worried I wasn't getting everything I need from my diet. Even when your diet is balanced, you can't eat everything you're supposed to eat every day," she said.

"Because I work long hours and night shifts, I was always tired so I started taking vitamins to supplement whatever I wasn't getting (from food).".. read more