Be a Fit Kid: nutrition and physical activity for the fourth grade.

This article describes the inclusion of Be a Fit Kid in the fourth-grade curriculum. Be a Fit Kid is a fitness-emphasized physical activity and heart-healthy nutrition education program for elementary school children. Five parent-education lessons were offered and nutrition workbooks were distributed to parents.

Health behaviors, body composition, and coronary heart disease risk in women with multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: To explore coronary heart disease risk in a sample of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) by identifying the presence of established risk factors for coronary heart disease and to determine the relationship between disease severity and level of participation in health-related behaviors.

Design: Survey study.

Setting: Five general community settings in Oregon.

Coronary heart disease risk between active and inactive women with multiple sclerosis.

Purpose: Physical activity is strongly recommended as a principal component of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factor management aimed at favorably lowering abdominal fat accumulation, lowering levels of triglyceride (TG), raising levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and improving insulin sensitivity. Although physical activity practices are reported to be low in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), some women with MS remain physically active despite their disability. Thus, the primary aim of the study was to determine whether abdominal fat accumulation and levels of TG, HDL-C, and glucose differ between active and inactive women with MS.