A little workout can go a long way

jupiter imagesEven light exercise for a short duration can provide a significant benefit, including up to a 65 percent drop in fatigue levels. Advertisement

And who says a short and light workout isn't worth it? According to a University of Georgia study, inactive people who increased their injury levels by just 20 percent saw a 65 percent decrease in their fatigue levels. This study gives a new breath to a quick workout.

To come to these conclusions, researchers studied 36 people who were fatigued and did not regularly exercise. The people were then split into three groups and exercised at different intensity levels over the course of the study. One group completed 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week for six weeks. The second group completed light exercise three times a week for six weeks and the third group did not exercise.

The first two groups saw a 20 percent increase in energy while the third group saw none. Shockingly, the group that lightly exercised saw a greater increase in fatigue than the group that had a moderate exercise regimen. The light exercise group saw a 65 percent drop in fatigue while the other group clocked in at 49 percent.

A POSTWORKOUT DRINK MIGHT HELP YOUR HEART

You don't have to set down that drink. A study published in the European Heart Journal found that people who drink a low amount of alcohol and still exercise have a lower chance of contracting heart disease than people who exercise but don't drink.

So, a drink here or there might not necessarily be a bad idea. The Danish researchers also said people who don't drink or exercise are 49 percent more likely to have heart disease than people who either drink or exercise. To come to these conclusions, researchers studied health records from 1981 to 1983 in about 12,000 people.

YOUR LIVER MAY NOT LIKE FAST FOOD

If you're eating fast food regularly, your liver may be pleading with you to exercise. A recent study of fast food consumption confirms this. The study, published in the journal Gut, found that a diet rich in fast food products coupled with no exercise can create dangerous results to a person's liver.

For the study, researchers put 18 healthy people on a fast food diet, and another 18 healthy people on a regular diet. Blood samples were done throughout the study to monitor the participants' health. The fast food group ate at least two fast food meals a day and limited their exercise to essential walking.

Aside from participants packing on extra pounds at the end of the four-week study, the fast food group also had very high levels of alanine aminotransferase, which can indicate liver damage.

HIGH CALORIE DRINKS LINKED TO TEEN OBESITY

A recent study confirms the story running over and over on the nine o'clock news -- that sugary drinks, such as soda, are a major player in our nation's obesity epidemic.

The study, spearheaded by an employee from Children's Hospital Boston, found that teens who cut back on sugary drinks saw a decrease in their body mass index. Researchers asked teenagers to lay off the soda and gave them other alternatives to drink instead. During the 25-week testing period, researchers found that the sweetened drink intake went down by an astonishing 80 percent. That cutback created another change: in the teenager's waistlines.

To aid the teenagers, researchers delivered diet soda and water to their homes, as well as placing encouraging phone calls asking them not to swig down any high-calorie drinks. About 100 teenagers took part in the survey.

ELECTRONIC REMINDERS BOOST LIKELIHOOD OF EXERCISE

A recent study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, showed using PDAs increased the likelihood of exercise.

Researchers gave PDAs to 19 men who were not physically active and programmed exercise reminders into the devices. In the control group, 18 people were given written material that highlighted the benefits of exercise. After eight weeks of research, the study concluded that the group who had exercise reminders plugged into their PDAs averaged 310 minutes of exercise a week while the control group averaged only 125 minutes.

THE TOILET IS CLEANER THAN YOU THINK

You might be better off touching a toilet seat than on your keyboard. A University of Arizona study has shown that common office equipment can be much more of a breeding ground for germs than restrooms. The most startling part of the study: office desks average about 400 times more microbes than toilet seats. Researchers cited this as a reason why a bug, such as a cold, can quickly spread throughout an entire office.

MONEY A NEW WAY TO DROP OLD EATING HABITS

What weak dollar? If this research starts a trend, cash could be the next diet fad.

A study published recently in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine showed that employees are more likely to lose weight when they are rewarded with money for shedding off the pounds.

Many businesses in the United States are encouraging their entire organizations to participate in diets and awarding cash prizes to the top losers.