Trampoline exercise 'helps tackle genetic obesity'
03/09/2010 Exercising outdoors on a trampoline can help people who are genetically predisposed to obesity benefit more than others, according to research.
The Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge tested 20,340 white European men and women living in Norwich for 12 variants that increase the risk of obesity.
A genetic predisposition score was then calculated, which varied from six to 17.
Participants were then asked about their overall exercise level, which included work and leisure activity. Their body mass index (BMI) was then measured too.
The research found that for every increase of one in their genetic predisposition score a person would be around 445g heavier.
Interestingly, the effect was over a third stronger in inactive people than those who took part in exercise, such as using a trampoline.
"The genetic predisposition to increased BMI and obesity is attenuated by a physically active lifestyle. This attenuation of the genetic predisposition was already observed at low levels of physical activity," the study authors said.
Recently, experts in Wales revealed that the NHS is currently dealing with the health consequences of increasing levels of obesity by having to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on new equipment to accommodate it, Walesonline.co.uk reported.
The Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge tested 20,340 white European men and women living in Norwich for 12 variants that increase the risk of obesity.
A genetic predisposition score was then calculated, which varied from six to 17.
Participants were then asked about their overall exercise level, which included work and leisure activity. Their body mass index (BMI) was then measured too.
The research found that for every increase of one in their genetic predisposition score a person would be around 445g heavier.
Interestingly, the effect was over a third stronger in inactive people than those who took part in exercise, such as using a trampoline.
"The genetic predisposition to increased BMI and obesity is attenuated by a physically active lifestyle. This attenuation of the genetic predisposition was already observed at low levels of physical activity," the study authors said.
Recently, experts in Wales revealed that the NHS is currently dealing with the health consequences of increasing levels of obesity by having to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on new equipment to accommodate it, Walesonline.co.uk reported.
