Does fitness further reduce the risk of heart disease deaths among individuals who are already at low risk?

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for over a century, the causes of CVD were completely unknown until the early 1960s. In fact, heart attack and stroke were thought by many to be a natural consequence of the aging process!...

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Oklahoma Legislative Update

The state of Oklahoma is home to many of the country’s finest corporations, higher education institutions, and medical facilities, each bolstered by a vibrant workforce and supportive community. However, childhood obesity poses a serious threat to the future of our economy....

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Impact of Resistance Training on Blood Pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects more than one-third of the U.S. adult population, and is an important risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. While countless studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise can help to lower resting blood pressure among hypertensives, less is known about the efficacy of resistance training in this regard. Read on to learn more!...

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Legislative Update

The 87th Texas Legislature has gaveled in and while the atmosphere at the Capitol building is a bit different, the legislative process is well underway. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has appointed Senate committees and a few have already scheduled committee hearings. Constitutionally the Legislature must only pass the state biennial budget during their 140 Legislative Session....

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2020 Research Review by The Cooper Institute 

Last year was a very productive time for research at The Cooper Institute. Our team worked hard in 2020 to discover more about the many health benefits of regular physical activity, as well as the benefits of obtaining at least a moderate level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Most of our research stems from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study (CCLS), the largest and longest-running health study of its kind in the world with an objective measure of CRF....

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Rating the Diets: U.S. News and World Report Annual Rankings

70% of American adults are either overweight or obese. This provides a rich and fertile environment for a seemingly endless number of popular diets. While some of these diets are questionable at best, there are some that are safe, nutritious, heart-healthy, and effective for weight loss. Read on to learn more!...

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Shifting Focus on Youth Fitness

The NFL Foundation has done more to improve youth health and fitness than almost any other organization across the country, which is why they were this year’s Legacy Award recipient....

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A Tribute to David Glass by Dr. Cooper

Kenneth H. Cooper and Mackenzie Martz, granddaughter of David Glass celebrate his life and legacy....

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The Future of Wellness Since 1970.

While we don’t know what the next fifty years hold, we do know that The Cooper Institute will continue to promote life-long health and wellness through research and education....

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Letter from the Board Chairman & President

As our team sat down to reflect upon the 2020 year and began to outline The Cooper Institute - Community Impact Report, a single word kept coming to the forefront. The word is “SHIFT” which became the theme for this report. Read more about the SHIFT....

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How Long After Working Out Does Your Heart Rate Return to Base?

Those of us that are health conscious are well aware that poor cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a strong predictor of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. The gold standard for measuring CRF is a maximal treadmill exercise test performed in a clinical setting. In recent years, heart rate recovery (HRR) from maximal exercise has also been identified as an important cardiovascular health measure....

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Message from the CEO - The Future of Wellness Since 1970.

In March 2020, I doubt any of us thought that we would still be struggling with the impact of COVID-19 this fall – social distancing, wearing masks, extra handwashing, working from home, and students doing both online and in-person learning. Yet, here we are and even with these challenges, The Cooper Institute has carried on its important work on healthy living through research and education....

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