Young Adults More Active After Starting Work, but Sleep Less – Unless Working from Home

The AHA! Team — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:31:59 +0000

University of Cambridge via EurekAlert! – Research from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus reveals drug could potentially help repair vision in those with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions. When young adults start working, the amount of daily physical activity they do increases sharply, only to fall away again over the new few years, while the amount of sleep they get falls slightly, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Cambridge. The increase in physical activity was mainly seen in those doing semi-routine occupations such as bus driving or hairdressing, and routine occupations such as cleaning or waiting, or technical jobs. There was little change seen among people entering managerial or professional occupations. The largest drop in levels of physical activity was seen among people who work from home – though their sleep levels did not change when they started work. Young adulthood – ages 16 to 30 years – is an important time in terms of health. Although we are typically at our peak physical health, it is also a time when many risk factors for long term diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer begin to develop. Health guidelines recommend young adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, engage in 150 minutes or more of moderate physical activity per week, and consume at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Health guidelines recommend young adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night Young adulthood is also the time when most people start work, which changes their daily routines and activities, resources such as time and money, and social and physical environments – all of which affect health behaviours and health in later life. All the participants were aged 16–30 years and started work for the first time between 2015 and 2023. To quantify the impact that starting work has on health-related behaviours, a team led by researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge examined repeated data taken over time from more than 3,000 participants in the UK Household Longitudinal Study. The results are published today in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Dr Eleanor Winpenny, who was based at the University of Cambridge when she carried out the work, but is now at Imperial College London, said: “We know about physical activity and sleep patterns among young people while they’re at school, but very little about what happens when they start work. Given the impact that work can have on our lives – and the lasting impacts this can have on our health – it’s important to try and understand what happens at this transition.” The analysis showed that when people started work, their physical activity increased by an amount equivalent to around 28 min of moderate activity (such as cycling) per day on average – but then decreased each year after starting work by around 7 min per day. The biggest increase was among males – up by an equivalent of around 45 min of moderate activity per day compared to an increase of around 16 min for females. People who did not have a university degree also showed a greater increase in physical activity compared to those with a university degree – equivalent to around a 42 min increase of moderate physical activity per day compared to 15 min per day. Working from home, however, appeared to be associated with an initial decrease in physical activity, equivalent to around 32 min of moderate activity per day. When young adults started work, the amount of time they slept per night dropped immediately by almost 10 minutes and remained stable at this level over time; however, people without a degree showed a continuing decrease of about 3 minutes of sleep per night each year after starting work, while those with a degree slowly increased back to their pre-work sleep levels. There was little change in the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed after starting work. Alena Oxenham, from the MRC Epidemiology Unit, said: “Beginning work can have a profound impact on our lifestyles and on behaviours that might make a difference to our health, if not immediately then later in life. “Although we found that people tend to do more physical activity when they begin work, which is good news, these are averages, and some people – particularly those who work from home and, to a lesser degree, those with office-based jobs – may do less. “If we want to stay healthy throughout our lives, we need to remember that keeping active is an important way of helping us achieve this goal. Those working at home might want to consider incorporating physical activity into their day, for example by going for a walk before or after work, or during a lunch break.” Those working at home might want to consider incorporating physical activity into their day Dr Winpenny added: “Workplaces provide an opportunity to create environments and cultures that support healthier diets, more physical activity and better sleep for young adults. This could result in healthier employees and fewer sick days in the immediate term, but also have long term benefits, helping prevent health issues in later life.” Reference Oxenham, AF, et al. New job, new habits? A multilevel interrupted time series analysis of changes in diet, physical activity and sleep among young adults starting work for the first time. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 28 Jan 2025; DOI: 10.1186/s12966-024-01682-8 Journal International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity DOI 10.1186/s12966-024-01682-8 To read the original article click here.

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7 Tips to Avoid Gaining Holiday Weight

AHA Publisher — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 08:00:48 +0000

Lorie Johnson via CBN News – Research shows the average American gains three to five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Although many people plan to lose that extra weight in the new year, too often that doesn’t happen. That means after many years, a few extra pounds over the holidays adds up to what can be a serious weight problem, leading to a number of health issues including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Adrienne Youdim, M.D. an internist who specializes in medical weight loss and nutrition and author of the bestseller Hungry for More: Stories and Science to Inspire Weight Loss from the Inside Out told CBN News we can avoid packing on extra holiday pounds while still enjoying goodies in moderation by using seven common-sense strategies. 1. EAT PROTEIN: Eating plenty of protein like fish, beans or chicken makes us less likely to overeat sweets. “Protein is the macronutrient that curbs hunger most,” she said. 2. FILL HALF YOU PLATE WITH FRESH VEGGIES: These foods are low in calories, are very filling, and are loaded with nutrients. “I personally love arugula,” said Dr. Youdim, “I eat it every day. And one cup of arugula is two to five calories but has 30 vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.” 3. CHOOSE SPARKLING WATER INSTEAD OF ALCOHOL: Alcohol has “empty calories,” which means the beverages are loaded with calories with little to no nutrition. “Alcohol actually intercepts some of our hunger hormones,” Dr. Youdim explains, “Leptin is a hormone that’s released by the fat cell that tells our brain that we are full, and alcohol actually intercepts that hormone.” 4. DRINK A CUP OF HOT TEA AFTER A MEAL: Hot beverages, preferably decaffeinated herbal tea, help put the brakes on further eating. “It takes time for our stomach, or our gut, to receive food,” said Dr. Youdim, “A warm drink sends a signal to the brain notifying that the food has been received and those hunger hormones, or signals, should be shut off.” 5. GET ENOUGH SLEEP: Research shows people who don’t get enough sleep are more prone to overeat unhealthy foods. “They’ve also done studies where in just two nights they’ve noticed that hunger hormones go up by about 30 percent and when they surveyed these individuals, they craved highly palatable, or yummy foods,” said Dr. Youdim. “So when people are sleep deprived they’re more likely to go for doughnuts and for fries. You don’t crave broccoli when you’re sleep-deprived.” 6. EAT SENSIBLY BEFORE THE PARTY: Dr. Youdim says “saving calories” tends to backfire. People who are planning to attend a special dinner or party where the food will be fantastic may nearly starve themselves before the event, which can be a mistake. “That in and of itself can result in consuming way more calories than you otherwise would eat,” she said, recommending instead to drink a protein shake on your way out the door. 7. DONT EAT YOUR FEELINGS: Stop using food to feel better emotionally, because when emotions run high, we tend to overeat. “What are we really hungry for, right? We tend to use food to soothe many, many emotions, not just sadness, but often boredom,” said Dr. Youdim, who recommends learning to cope with our emotions by using creative outlets, exercise, and connecting with others. To read the original article click here.

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Young Adults More Active After Starting Work, but Sleep Less – Unless Working from Home

7 Tips to Avoid Gaining Holiday Weight