THIS is another in a series of articles intended to expose our readers to pertinent information regarding their fitness efforts. It is produced mainly on the basis of research done by Rodriguez “Rodja” Constantine, owner of REPTS (Registered Exercise Professionals & Therapists) and co-producer and host of FIT4LIFE. Rodja has over 20 years experience in the field.
SALT INTAKE CORRELATES
WITH OBESITY
Most adolescents consume as much salt as adults – some more than twice the recommended daily allowance – and that high sodium intake correlates with fatness and inflammation regardless of how many calories they consume, researchers report.
In a study of 766 healthy teens, 97 percent self-reported exceeding the American Heart Association’s recommendation of consuming less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics.
“The majority of studies in humans show the more food you eat, the more salt you consume, the fatter you are,” said Dr. Haidong Zhu, molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia and Institute of Public and Preventive Health at Georgia Regents University.
“Our study adjusted for what these young people ate and drank and there was still a correlation between salt intake and obesity,” Zhu said.
These high-sodium consumers also had high levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, which is secreted by immune cells and contributes to chronic inflammation as well as autoimmune diseases like lupus and arthritis. Additionally, the adolescents had high levels of leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells that normally suppresses appetite and burns fat, but at chronically high levels can have the opposite effects.
“Losing weight is difficult, but hopefully more people can be successful at reducing their sodium intake,” said Zhu, the study’s corresponding author. Reductions would result from not automatically adding salt to food and choosing fresh fruits and vegetables over French fries and processed meats and snacks.
“We hope these findings will reinforce for parents and pediatricians alike that daily decisions about how much salt children consume can set the stage for fatness, chronic inflammation and a host of associated diseases like hypertension and diabetes,” said study co-author Dr. Gregory Harshfield, Director of the Georgia Prevention Center at the GRU institute.
High sodium intake has been linked to higher weight, possibly because of increased water retention. While the new study does not prove a causal effect, it contributes to mounting evidence that high sodium could be a direct cause of obesity and inflammation, Zhu and her colleagues report. Longitudinal or randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify the relationships, the researchers said.
“Obesity has a lot of contributing factors, including physical inactivity,” Zhu said. “We think that high sodium intake could be one of those factors.” Evidence suggests one direct cause may be increasing the size of fat cells.
The MCG study appears to be the first to use several robust measures of fatness to improve accuracy, including magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, which also measures bone density. Study participants were Augusta-area teens whose fitness and fatness were being assessed by Dr. Bernard Gutin, exercise physiologist and Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics at MCG. Data was collected from 2001-05.
Sources: GRU NewsScience DailyWebMD
Next week: Post-Exercise Hormone Release Can Predict Biological Age
In the mean time here’s a fitness programme to help you shed unwanted pounds, trim excess body fat, and sculpt a lean body. Each week, the workouts will become progressively challenging to keep you motivated toward your fitness and weight loss goals. Each exercise should be performed in sequence with one day of rest in between and each should eventually be completed within 30 to 45 minutes. This programme is FREE and available by email to all readers. Personalized programmes are also available for a nominal fee. Subscribe to our website as reptsfitness.com to receivethis week’s workout FREE , or contact us via our website to request your FREE personalized workout programme for one body part of your choosing (i.e. arms, legs, glutes, etc.). Simply provide a brief description of what kind of results you would like and we’ll do the rest. You may also contact Rodja via BBM (2354ACFD) or visit our website at reptsfitness.com or our facebook page at faceboook.com/repts.fitness for more information and videos.
Rodriguez”Rodja” Constantine is a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Consultant and owner of REPTS ( Registered Exercise Professionals & Therapists), a Personal Wellness studio located in Rodney Bay opposite to the North bound Rodney Bay bus stop by RJ Clark. Rodja has over 20 years fitness experience and through REPTS offers all inclusive upgradeable wellness packages (Personal and small Group Training, Body Analysis, Nutrition Counselling and Planning, NutriCare, FREE Gym Membership, Physio Fitness, and Massage Therapy and Discount Spa Services, etc.) for one affordable monthly fee. Rodja also designs long term fitness plans and short term workout routines for use at home, your current gym, or when travelling. We invite you to visit REPTS for a free consultation and a tailored programme that will best help you achieve your fitness goal. You may call at anytime at (758)-722-3763 during business hours (4:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.) to schedule an FREE consultation and trial session. In addition to training at our Rodney Bay Studio, training is now conducted on Level 10 of the Castries Car Park on the Waterfront. Call for details.