Don't Make That Face...

...or it might get stuck that way forever. Holy crap! That might be true!

"Sleep Apnea Mask May Cause Subtle Facial Changes"

From MSN Health & Fitness -

"The common treatment, called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can help relieve the interrupted breathing of sleep apnea. However, 'my research found possible craniofacial change [as a result of] long-term CPAP use,' said study author Hiroko Tsuda, an assistant professor in the general oral clinic at Kyushu University Hospital in Japan."

MSN Health & Fitness to Time Magazine: "You Suck"

So, that Time article about exercise not making people thin was, of course, a big hit with all the people who want an excuse for not losing weight. There are undoubtedly millions of people who want to think that there is nothing they can do about the excess weight they carry and this article justified that mindset.

It reminds me that studies show that most people search the internet not for unbiased information from which to learn, but rather that which backs up a previously held belief.

MSN Health & Fitness writer, David Zinczenko, whose name sounds like he should be playing professional tennis, writes in his article -

"Bottom line: Our responses to diet and exercise are all highly individualized, explains Dr. Church. Sure, some people might compensate for their exercise by eating more, but according to Dr. Church, this isn’t the fault of exercise. More likely, he says, it’s because people don’t realize how easy it is to consume 1,000 calories at the drive-thru compared to burning just 250 calories on a treadmill. 'If your weight is a concern for you, exercise is important. But it doesn’t give you license to eat what you want,' cautions Dr. Church. 'You still need to pay close attention to what you’re putting in your mouth.'

"Exercise can protect your muscle. A Penn State University study found that people who lifted weights along with a program of diet and aerobic exercise had the same weight loss as those who only dieted (or who dieted and performed aerobic exercise). The difference? The lifters lost 5 pounds more fat because almost none of their weight loss came from muscle. Read: Resistance training didn’t improve weight loss, but it did improve fat loss. And isn’t that what really matters?

"Exercise may help you stick to your diet. University of Pittsburgh researchers studied 169 dieters for 2 years and found that the participants who didn’t follow a 3-hour-a-week training plan ate more than their allotted 1,500 calories per day. The reverse was also true—sneaking snacks sabotaged their workouts. 'One healthy behavior without the other will not work—you need to diet and exercise to maintain long-term weight loss,' says lead study author John Jakicic, Ph.D. That’s because both actions can act as a reminder to stay on track.

"Exercise may target belly fat. While weight loss was similar among all four groups in the LSU study, only the groups that exercised saw their waist size decrease. The Time story downplays this finding, but isn’t it relevant? Think about it: This study actually shows that even a small amount of low-intensity exercise—performed in, say, just three 24-minute sessions a week—could help your jeans fit better. In other words, it makes you thinner. Doesn’t sound like a waste of time to me."

I don't think a fair reading of the Time article leads to the conclusion that exercise is not good for you. Time does, however, play up the argument that it doesn't make you thin, and certainly doesn't put much emphasis on the health benefits of exercise, which was a disservice to Time readers.

The Butt Stops Here

"The Butt Stops Here!" I've done it again. Thank you. Oh, thank you so much. I'd like to thank my Irish heritage and my parents' having 4 sons for the development of my exceptional sense of humor. Moving along...

It seems that monetary incentives work for just about everything but long-term risk management of a publicly traded financial services corporation. A new study shows that smokers who are given financial incentives to quit smoking are about 3 times as likely to stay smoke-free.

This is the gist of the article from MSN Health & Fitness -

All of the employees were given information about available smoking-cessation programs in their areas. Members of the financial incentive group were also told they would be given $100 for the completion of a smoking cessation program. Then, they would receive an additional $250 if they successfully quit smoking within six months from the start of the study, and they were promised another $400 if they stayed smoke-free for another six months. Smoke-free status was assessed using either a hair or urine sample to test for a substance known as cotinine, which is present when someone has smoked.

Nine to 12 months after the study began, 14.7 percent of the incentive group had kicked tobacco, compared to just 5 percent in the information-only group. Between 15 and 18 months after the study's start, 9.4 percent of those in the incentive group had stayed off cigarettes, compared to just 3.6 percent in the control group.

Boohoob Tube

I think that's one of my most clever titles yet. Don't mind if I pat myself on the back.

TV might make you sad. Or maybe if you're sad you just watch more tv. It's probably one of those vicious circles. That's my guess. Those are the worst. Well, maybe when people say "equally as" or "myself" (when they mean "I"). Those are worse. Or when people put celery in tuna salad. I hate that.

TV provides an escape from reality and if you're not so crazy about your reality, a pretty quick and easy way out is to dive into the glamorous lifestyle of someone whose job or adventures are something about which you would only dream. You know, like Ocean's 11 or James Bond.

If you're stressed out about something, you might put it off to be entertained by a comedian who makes you laugh and forget about your worries. Well, when the show's over you have the same problem, but instead of doing something about it, you've put it off and not taken any steps to correct it. We're all guilty of this from time to time, but there are definitely people out there who need to snap themselves out of it and live.

This is bumming me out. I'm going to go watch the Ricky Gervais special that I dvr-ed on Saturday night.

From MSN Health & Fitness -

Short-term pleasure, long-term malaise

"These conflicting data suggest that TV may provide viewers with short-run pleasure, but at the expense of long-term malaise," said researcher John Robinson, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, College Park.

In this scenario, even the happiest campers could turn into Debbie-downers if they continue to stare at the boob-tube. The researchers suggest that over time, television-viewing could push out other activities that do have more lasting benefits. Exercise and sex come to mind, as do parties and other forms of socialization known to have psychological benefits.

Holy Cows

From MSNBC.com -

"Obesity is a public health crisis. If the rate of obesity and overweight continues at this pace, by 2015, 75 percent of adults and nearly 24 percent of U.S. children and adolescents will be overweight or obese."

-Dr. Youfa Wang, Johns Hopkins University

For black women, the numbers are even more staggering. 80 percent of those aged 40 and over are overweight, and 50 percent are obese. Yikes.

One of the researchers of the JHU study makes a dire warning at the end of the article in stating that, soon, obesity will be the number one preventable cause of death in the US.

Mmm, 2,000 Calories, 100 Grams of Fat, 3000 Milligrams of Sodium

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has published a list of "X-treme" meals. I agree that they could have just spelled the word normally. Anyway, they list some menu items from some popular restaurants that have failed thus far to provide nutrition information on their own. I guess they're waiting for the government to make them do it. Isn't that nice? [Cough cough, sarcasm]

We have aimed at Cheesecake Factory before, and they get a spot on this list as well. CSPI makes it clear why we're the fattest country on Earth; listing appetizers, entrees and desserts that carry a whole day's worth of calories, fat and sodium on their own. Here's CSPI's article.

I am reluctant to include the slide show from MSN Health & Fitness since the foods all look so delicious, but here it is.