Dose-response relation of self-reported and accelerometer-measured physical activity to perceived health in middle age-the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study.

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) promotes health and decreases mortality. The positive relationship between PA and perceived health (PH) is well known. However, previous research in the field has often used self-reported PA measures.

Effective Weight Loss and Maintenance by Intensive Start with Diet and Exercise.

Introduction: This 24-month study aimed to determine whether exercise intervention added to weight loss treatment at 6 months is effective for weight loss and maintenance.

Methods: A total of 120 obese subjects (body mass index > 30) were randomly assigned to intensified behavioral modification (iBM) (n = 30), behavioral modification + exercise from 0 to 3 months (circuit weight training group 1 [CWT1]) (n = 30), behavioral modification + exercise from 6 to 9 months (CWT2) (n = 30), and a control group (CON) (n = 30). Health behavior, weight, waist circumference, and 2-h glucose tolerance test with insulin measurements were measured at 0, 3, 9, and 24 months.

Physical activity and aerobic fitness are positively associated with heart rate variability in obese adults.

Background: Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction and obesity are intrinsically related to each other. In normal-weight subjects physical activity (PA) and fitness are related to cardiovascular autonomic regulation, providing evidence that aerobic training may improve ANS functioning measured by heart rate variability (HRV). The goal of this study was to investigate the association between lifetime PA, aerobic fitness and HRV in obese adults.

Factors associated with parental recognition of a child's overweight status--a cross sectional study.

Background: Very few studies have evaluated the association between a child's lifestyle factors and their parent's ability to recognise the overweight status of their offspring. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors associated with a parent's ability to recognise their own offspring's overweight status.

Methods: 125 overweight children out of all 1,278 school beginners in Northern Finland were enrolled.

Muscular fitness in relation to physical activity and television viewing among young adults.

Purpose: To study how time spent in physical activity and that in television (TV) viewing are associated with muscular fitness among young adults.

Methods: The study population consisted of a cross-sectional sample of 381 males and 493 females aged 19.1 yr (SD 0.