Network Magazine Autumn 2014 | Page 8

Fit Facts Fit Facts is a compilation of recent research findings, industry happenings and fitness news. Network eNews regularly delivers this sort of information direct to your inbox. Weekday habits key to healthier weight Big training session to make a big difference People who are able to lose weight over time are more likely to live more healthily during the week, even if they blow out at weekends, according to US and Finnish researchers. Small group training is, ironically, big thesedays. But how about huge group training? Imagine 1,000 people, of all ages and fitness levels, participating in one enormous group fitness session to help improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people. That’s what Train for Thought, the largest group outdoor fitness session is aiming to achieve on Sunday 27 April in Melbourne. Most people weigh their heaviest after the weekend and their lightest by the end of the working week, the study found. But subjects who consistently lost weight over the duration of the study displayed a tendency to compensate more strictly during the week for their weekend weight gain. Those who gained weight in the long term appeared less able to put the brakes on treat-wise during the week. Commenting on the findings, registered dietitian Joy Dubost, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said: ‘This shows it truly is about the journey, rather than the one-time splurge where you gain a couple of pounds.’ Train for Thought, which supports headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, is the vision of Mel Hiatt, a personal trainer and Step into Life business owner: ‘Our goal is to have 1,000 participants with 100 trainers training together and raising awareness and funds for headspace. Our aim is to raise $50,000 to enable headspace to deliver healthy living and exercise programs to young people in headspace centres’ said Hiatt. Registration costs $30, with every cent going directly to headspace. If you’re based in Victoria, why not get yourself – and even better, a team of your members, clients or participants – involved in this fun event? Register at www.trainforthought.com.au Source: Train for Thought In other words, weekend indulgences are all good and well provided you don’t let the good times roll on throughout the week! Source: Obesity Facts Yes to yoghurt, no to type 2 diabetes People who eat lots of yoghurt may be actively reducing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes according to recent research from the University of Cambridge in the UK. The research, involving 25,000 male and female subjects, revealed a 28 per cent reduced risk of developing new-onset type 2 diabetes in people who had a high consumption of yoghurt, compared with those who didn’t eat it at all. A similar reduced risk was evident with all low-fat fermented dairy products, including some low-fat cheeses such as fromage frais and low-fat cottage cheese. Volume-wise, the risk reduction was observed in study participants who consumed approximately 650g of yoghurt per week – a quantity that may be seen to be easily achievable as part of a healthy diet. 8 NETWORK AUTUMN 2014 / WWW.FITNESSNETWORK.COM.AU Lead scientist Dr Nita Forouhi, from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said: ‘This research highlights that specific foods may have an important role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and are relevant for public health messages.’ Source: Diabetologia