Blog

October - December 2012 - Fitness

The Role of Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents

Fitness, Sports, Youth | December, 28 2012

By: Jim Pivarnik, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Michigan State University and Member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition’s Science Board

A recent study in Pediatrics by Eisenberg et al. indicates that adolescent boys and girls self-report a number of "muscle-enhancing" behaviors. The authors cautioned that some of the behaviors, particularly those related to diet and steroid use are particularly troubling

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

Fitness, Nutrition, Physical Activity | October, 9 2012

By: Jim Pivarnik, Ph.D., President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Science Board member

Having studied physical activity during pregnancy for over 25 years, I am amazed at how far we have progressed. When I began to research this area in the late 1980's, information was scarce, and recommendations were very conservative. This only makes sense, as "first do no harm" is even more important than normal when you are talking about protecting the maternal-fetal unit.

IOM Supports Direction of Presidential Youth Fitness Program

Fitness, Physical Education, Youth | October, 1 2012

By: Stella Lucia Volpe, Ph.D., RD, LDN, FACSM, Chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Science Board

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report that provides guidance on youth fitness measures as they relate to health outcomes. The report affirmed that fitness is a marker for health among youth and the use of certain measures in a school setting can enhance student learning and provide feedback on current health status and future health risk.