Background: The role of physical activity (PA) in mitigating fall risk among adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear. Purpose: We examined the associations of CVD-PA phenotypes with falls. Methods: Adults [greater than or equal to] 45 years (n = 295,282; N = 130,103,093) from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System who…

Poor physical health is common in people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI). Two-thirds of deaths in SMI could be avoided if patients are offered prompt physical health screening for known risk factors. We aimed to identify SMI patients registered at a General Practice and audit their care in relation to physical health monitoring. We included adult…

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine (a) whether distance from home to school is a determinant of active commuting to school (ACS), (b) the relationship between distance from home to heavily used facilities (school, green spaces, and sports facilities) and the weight status and cardiometabolic risk categories, and (c) whether ACS has a…

Provides practical guidelines for a strength training program for cardiac patients which may be modified to fit a particular program. The recommendations include criteria for admission, procedures for orientation and instruction, and techniques for supervision. (SM)

A step-by-step guide to auscultating young athletes helps physicians identify normal heart murmurs as well as sounds that might signify underlying cardiac pathology. Rapid, thorough preparticipation screening can help differentiate athletes who may require treatment or activity restriction from those with normal murmurs who can remain active. (SM)

This paper presents epidemiologic evidence on the contributions of physical inactivity and reduced cardiorespiratory fitness to risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The types and dose of physical activity to reduce risk of CHD and plausible biologic mechanisms for the partial protective effect are reviewed. (Author/SM)

This booklet offers advice for adults who want to lower their blood cholesterol level. The first section, "What You Need To Know about High Blood Cholesterol," discusses blood cholesterol and why it matters, what cholesterol numbers mean, and what affects blood cholesterol levels. Section 2, "What You Need To Do To Lower Blood…

Mitral valve prolapse is the most common heart disease seen in college and university health services. It underlies most arrhythmia and many chest complaints. Activity and exercise restrictions are usually unnecessary. (Author/CJ)

Describes a study of 8,885 adults to determine whether the amount of time spent watching television was associated with cardiovascular fitness, considering confounding effects like age, gender, smoking, work week, exercise time, and obesity. Results indicate the duration of daily television watching is strongly and inversely associated with…

This study examined cardiovascular risk factors in Black first-year college students (N=238). Students completed surveys about blood pressure, cholesterol level, smoking, and physical activity. Results found low rates of high blood pressure, low awareness of cholesterol levels, and low numbers of students who smoked. Females had lower physical…

This paper reviews the recent literature on cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, CVD-related mortality, physiological CVD risk factors, and behavioral CVD risk factors in adults with mental retardation (MR). The literature on the potential influences of modifiable behavioral CVD risk factors and the physiological CVD risk factors are also…

Quality physical education classes are an important avenue for teaching children about lifetime fitness participation. Specific fitness information and habits can be taught as part of physical education classes. Physical education, however, should not be the only source of physical activity for children. Children need opportunities to participate…

Examines, by gender, the outcomes of the Minnesota Heart Health Program's Class of 1989 Study, presenting observations of the stability of students' behaviors over seven years. Self-reported data on various health-related behaviors indicated that girls may be more receptive than boys to social influences models of health education. (SM)

In 2004, the Women's Sports Foundation published the first edition of "Her Life Depends On It" (Don Sabo, Kathleen E. Miller, Merrill J. Melnick, and Leslie Heywood). At that time, it was clear that evidence-based research confirmed that regular physical activity and sport provides the critical foundation, in no small part, that allows girls and…

This paper categorizes the many benefits of physical activity, offering information concerning the type of dose necessary to get that benefit. In 2000, Health Canada and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other agencies, sponsored a symposium to determine whether there was a dose-response relationship between…