I always tell my clients that "energy in, energy out" is the simplest equation to put in place in terms of winning the weight loss battle. In other words, eat less and workout more. But depending on your sex, ethnicity and occupation, that may not always be the case. According to a study at Indiana University, these types of results are only typical primarily for Caucasian women. The study published in the May issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health sets a precedent as the first study to evaluate specific populations and the relationship between leisure physical activity and obesity. It was conducted by obesity expert Dong-Chul Seo, who looked at 12,000 adults ranging in age from 20-64 years old. The study was also featured on Science Daily with Seo saying “obesity rates in general declined as the amount of weekly leisure time physical activity increased.”
Amongst everyone in the study, Caucasian women saw the most dramatic decrease in weight, especially when the stepped up their activity to comply with the minimum national guidelines for physical activity each week during the study. Those significant results were not consistent for the men in the study or for women of African-American and Hispanic descent. Although Seo reported that some of the Caucasian men saw better results.
Seo concluded that the physical demands in the workplace for both men and Hispanic women could affect how much leisure physical activity they actually do. He touts workplace wellness programs to help fight off obesity due to the many occupational hazards including obesity as a result of being in a sedentary job. The results also showed a decrease in obesity for Hispanic women when their jobs became more physically demanding.
Studies show that exercise programs in the workplace has been proven to increase productivity and lower absenteeism. Studies also show that a total approach to fitness will result in making your employees more effective at their jobs, translating into an increase in revenue for your company. A healthy employee has better morale, and is more disciplined. When an employee puts health first; they reduce stress resolving many employee conflicts before they even happen. This in turn will save many health care dollars. Employees also have the ability to workout with their co-workers and can possibly buddy up with each other as workout partners. My advice, no matter what your age, race, ethnicity or occupation, is make sure you get some type of physical activity in at least four to five times a week.
Joanne Sgro is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her fiancé, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.