Vitamin D and exercise may protect against age-associated loss of cognition

As the average life expectancy continues to rise in the U.S., there is an increasing need to identify modifiable risk factors that contribute to the cognitive and physical deterioration associated with aging. The Cooper Institute research team found that in generally healthy people, vitamin D and cardiorespiratory fitness were significantly associated with cognitive function. Read more to learn what preventive measures you can take to protect from cognitive decline as you age....

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Framingham Heart Study shows that HDL Cholesterol Levels should not be interpreted in a Vacuum!

For nearly four decades, HDL cholesterol has been known as the ‘good cholesterol.’ Over the past few years, researchers have been trying to determine whether or not HDL by itself is protective against heart disease, or if it’s just the fact that high HDL levels are often seen individuals who are physically fit and/or do not have many risk factors for heart disease. Read on to learn more!...

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Congratulations to the 2018 Healthy Zone School Award Winners!

On Thursday, May 10, a special dinner was held at the Frontiers of Flight Museum, honoring this year’s Healthy Zone Schools and award winners. Read more...

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Can Just a Little Bit of Resistance Training Help to Prevent Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) is a very common condition that significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It has long been known that aerobic activity can be very helpful in the prevention of MetSyn. Much less is known about how much resistance training is necessary to prevent this harmful condition. Read on to learn more!...

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Asthma and Depression: the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study (CCLS)

Asthma and depression each affect about 10% of the overall U.S. population. The prevalence of asthma is somewhat higher among youth than adults. While some U.S. studies have shown an association between asthma and depression, the data is based mostly on self-report rather than objective clinical measurements of these conditions. A recent study on Cooper Clinic patients explored this important topic. Read on to learn more!...

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Cardiorespiratory Fitness Levels among Female Cancer Survivors: The Cooper Center Longitudinal Study

Low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is related to an increased risk of certain cancers in women. Breast cancer survivors have significantly lower levels of CRF than women with no history of cancer. Much less is known about the CRF levels of women who have gynecologic cancers (cervical, endometrial/uterine, and ovarian). In this blog, we look at a recent publication from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study regarding this important topic, as well as its implications....

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International Youth Fitness Assessment: The Cooper Institute Leading the Way

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Thus, it is appropriate to focus attention on assessment of physical fitness, not only in the USA but across the globe. The 13th Measurement & Evaluation Symposium was conducted at the 2018 SHAPE America Annual meeting in Nashville TN. The Symposium, sponsored by The Cooper Institute, focused on “Youth Fitness Assessment in the 21st Century: Issues, Challenges, & Future Directions.” Read more on how The Cooper Institute has lead the way on physical fitness assessment in children and youth....

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Can Having Diabetes Increase Your Risk of Falling?

Rates of diabetes mellitus (DM) have been skyrocketing worldwide over the past 3 decades. DM carries with it many serious health risks; one of which is neuropathy (nerve damage). In this blog, we discuss how neuropathy can lead to a significantly increased risk of falling. Read on to learn more!...

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Can Older Adults Walk Their Way to a Lower Risk of Premature Death?

The majority of older adults do not meet current public health guidelines for physical activity. Walking represents a form of physical activity that is free, does not require specific training, and can be done almost anywhere. However, very few studies have examined the relationship between walking and mortality risk in older adults. Read on to learn about a large study performed by the American Cancer Society on this important topic!...

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Cardiorespiratory Fitness Level Strongly Impacts Mortality Risk in Men and Women: The Cooper Center Longitudinal Study

Many of us with an interest in health and fitness take it for granted that experts have always known that being physically fit helps to decrease the risk of premature death. Actually, researchers from The Cooper Institute and Cooper Clinic were the first to prove this in published studies! Read on to learn more about our landmark 1989 paper from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study....

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Risks and Benefits of Daily Low-Dose Aspirin for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Colon Cancer

March is national colon cancer awareness month. Next to lung cancer, colon cancer is the second and third leading cancer killer among U.S. men and women, respectively. There is evidence that daily low-dose aspirin can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, there are also risks related to aspirin therapy that everyone should be aware of. Read on to learn more!...

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How Effective are the DASH Diet and the Mediterranean Diet at Reducing Mortality Risk? The Cooper Center Longitudinal Study.

It’s a given that dietary patterns have a substantial effect on mortality risk. While there are many fad diets with little to no scientific evidence to back them, a couple of notable exceptions to the rule are the DASH and Mediterranean Diets. Read on to learn more about how these dietary patterns affect mortality in Cooper Clinic patients!...

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