Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Number you won’t forget
Weekly wisdom
The VO2 Max booster
Instant health boost
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Health
Number You Won’t Forget: 50 Percent
The increasing number of children who are overweight or obese is concerning. And not just because we need to take care of the next generation — but because it’s setting them up for a lifetime of health problems.
Research suggests that 50 percent of children who are overweight or obese by age six end up becoming obese adults.
And new studies found that weight struggles are affecting more and more children. New data suggests that:
Approximately 40 percent of today’s high school students and young adults had experienced obesity or could be categorized as overweight before leaving primary school.
Children born in the 2000s experienced rates of obesity at higher levels and at younger ages than children 12 years earlier, despite public health campaigns and interventions aimed at preventing obesity.
The risk of developing obesity in primary school among the most economically disadvantaged groups increased by 15 percent.
Like adults, there’s no single cause leading to the concerning trend. Genetics, environment, nutrition, and activity all play a role. However, unlike adults, activity appears to play a more significant role in weight gain in children.
Research suggests that today’s generation spends less time being active and less time outdoors than any other generation, and more than 25 percent of kids spend more than 4 hours per day on screens, devices, and watching TV.
Like most things, there’s always a solution, and we have the power to help create change. There’s no shame if a child is overweight. But it’s on us to make a difference to protect the next generation. Children don’t need to stress their weight or feel like something is wrong with them; they just need help and guidance — like adults — to make small changes that have a big impact.
For kids, simply spending more time being active outdoors could be a good step in the right direction. They don’t even have to play sports. Just let them play, run around, and explore their natural curiosity.
Weekly Wisdom
On Our Radar
The VO2 Max Booster?
We recently shared that V02 max — or how much oxygen your body uses during exercise — might be one of the best predictors of mortality. The best way to improve it is with a mix of moderate- and high-intensity exercise, but that might not be the only way.
A new randomized controlled trial found that Ashwagandha significantly improves VO2 max when combined with consistent exercise.
Participants took 300 milligrams of Ashwagandha twice daily (600 mg total) while following a three-day-per-week training program. Compared to a placebo, the Ashwagandha group saw greater improvements in V02 max and growth in chest and arm size, but they did not increase 1-rep max strength on upper or lower body exercises.
The researchers suggest several mechanisms might explain Ashwagandha’s improvements. Ashwagandha appears to make your body more resilient to stress caused by exercise and helps lower cortisol levels, which could help your body respond better to the demands of exercise.
Research also suggests that Ashwagandha improves sleep and recovery, which could also result in improved VO2 max.
Remember, your VO2 max lives on a continuum, meaning that even small improvements can make a big difference in lifespan. Research found that improving from a low VO2 max to just below average could lead to a 50 percent reduction in mortality over a decade.
Instant Health Boost
The Cancer Prevention Plan
In the fight for longevity and disease prevention, the best medicine of all might be muscle.
If you need more proof, research suggests that resistance training not only helps prevent cancer but also reduces mortality and reoccurrence of cancer.
In this post, neurophysiologist Louisa Nicola outlines how exercise activates molecules in your muscles (myokines) with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, which help protect your body. While there’s no way to fully protect against cancer, exercise is your best line of defense.
And remember this the next time you avoid the hard reps: the more you push the intensity of your workout, the more myokines you release.
Nicola recommends five ways to ensure your exercise hits the spots for disease and cancer prevention, and here are three you should keep in mind.
Increase Your Intensity
Mix Cardio and Strength Training
With Moderate-Intensity, Aim for Longer Workouts
If you want to learn more, we recommend checking out her article. At the end of the day, consistency is what matters most. So find the exercise you’ll do repeatedly, and make that a lifestyle habit.
And that’s it for this week. Thanks for being a part of the positive corner of the internet, and we hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
-Arnold, Adam, and Daniel
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
