The Effects of a 12-Week Faculty and Staff Exercise Program on Health-Related Variables in a University Setting

International Journal of Exercise Science 8(1) : 49-56, 2015. The obesity epidemic has grown in the past decade due to physical inactivity (i.e., having a sedentary job) and an increase in caloric intake. This problem combined with the reluctance of many faculty and staff members exercising in the same environment as student’s presents a unique challenge in an academic setting. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a 12-week exercise program focused toward the faculty and staff in improving several health-related variables such as curl-ups, push-ups, sit-and-reach, and balance. Fifty-seven faculty and staff participated in the current study. Participants engaged in a variety of exercise classes taught by certified instructors three days a week for 12-weeks. Paired samples t-tests illustrated a significant (p \u3c 0.001) decrease in body mass and significant (p \u3c 0.001) improvements in curl-ups, push-ups, sit-and-reach, and balance. This data demonstrates that a 12-week faculty and staff exercise program has the potential to improve performance in several health-related variables such as curl-ups, push-ups, sit-and-reach, and balance. The ability of this program to improve health-related variables and possibly delay or prevent the development of overweight and/or obesity, sarcopenia, and other chronic diseases is encouraging

Caution! The Danger of Heating Before Eating

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a plasticizer that is commonly used in plastic products, such as containers and water bottles, in order to improve the performance of the plastic. However, it is thought to have potential health risks and is currently being investigated by the FDA. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the concentration and lower detection limit of BPA which leaches from plastic containers under normal microwaving conditions. Oleic acid, a key component of cooking oil, was used to extract the BPA from the plastic containers. After microwaving, the BPA was extracted from the oleic acid and derivatized. This solution was then analyzed using a GC/MS. The three brands of plastic containers were tested. Rubbermaid claimed to contain BPA, Ziploc claimed to be BPA free, and the Wal-Mart brand was an unknown. After microwaving for 10 minutes, Ziploc and the Wal-Mart brand showed no BPA peak on the chromatogram. However, the Rubbermaid containers had a peak area that was above the quantitative limit of detection. At 5 minutes of cooking time, the peak area for Rubbermaid was above the qualitative detection limits

The effects of a 12-week worksite physical activity intervention on anthropometric indices, blood pressure indices, and plasma biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk among university employees

Abstract Background To determine the effectiveness of a low-cost 12-week worksite physical activity intervention targeting a goal of 10,000 steps per day on reducing anthropometric indices, blood pressure indices, and plasma biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among the employees of a major university. Methods Fifty university employees (n = 43 female, n = 7 male; mean age = 48 ± 10 years) participated in the 12-week physical activity intervention (60 min, 3 day/week). Each session included both aerobic (cardiorespiratory endurance) and muscle-strengthening (resistance) physical activity using existing university facilities and equipment. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure indices, and plasma biomarkers of CVD risk assessed included those for obesity (body mass index), hypertension (systolic blood pressure, SBP; diastolic blood pressure, DBP), dyslipidemia (high-density lipoprotein, HDL; low-density lipoprotein, LDL; total serum cholesterol), and prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose, IFG). Steps per day were assessed using a wrist-worn activity monitor. Participants were given the goal of 10,000 steps per day and categorized as either compliers (≥ 10,000 steps per day on average) or non-compliers (< 10,000 steps per day on average) based on their ability to achieve this goal. Results Overall, 34% of participants at baseline were already at an elevated risk of CVD due to age. On average, 28% of participants adhered to the goal of 10,000 steps per day. After 12-weeks, participants in both groups (compliers and non-compliers) had lower BMI scores (p < 0.001), lower HDL scores (p < 0.034), and higher IFG scores (p < 0.001). The non-compliers had a greater reduction of BMI scores than the compliers (p = 0.003). Participants at risk for CVD had greater reductions than those not at risk for several risk factors, including SBP (p = 0.020), DBP (p = 0.028), IFG (p = 0.002), LDL (p = 0.006), and total serum cholesterol (p = 0.009). Conclusion While the physical activity intervention showed mixed results overall with both favorable changes in anthropometric indices yet unfavorable changes in plasma biomarkers, it was particularly beneficial in regards to both blood pressure indices and plasma biomarkers among those already at risk of CVD. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03385447; retrospectively registere