Atlanta, U.S.A. — Monkey Joe’s, a national children’s entertainment facility known for its giant inflatable jumps and obstacle courses, has reached nearly three-quarters of a million total hours of jumping from customers, a benchmark that aims to combat the rise in childhood obesity and other health problems caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. With programs such as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! bringing attention to the health issues facing our nation’s youth, places like Monkey Joe’s can encourage fun and alternative ways to get exercise.

Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative launched by Michelle Obama that is dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. The program focuses on a variety of ways to encourage healthier youth, and it recognizes that physical activity is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle.  Sonny Crumpton, Monkey Joe’s brand leader, says that he sees Monkey Joe’s as a place to help with this initiative, as they strive to provide a fun-filled experience for kids to play and jump.

“We are proud to be able to contribute to our youth’s physical activity in a fun way, and we are thrilled to have reached such a high number of jumps,” says Crumpton. “The children always have a great time, and they are getting an excellent form of exercise without thinking twice about it.”

According to the Let’s Move! website, over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. At this rate, one third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives and many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems.

To reduce the risk of these health issues, children need 60 minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day, according to the American Heart Association. Unfortunately, today’s on-demand entertainment from a variety of gadgets and busy family schedules often push intentional physical activity to the bottom of the priority list.

One way to get physical health back to the top of the list is to emphasize activity, not exercise. According to an article from The Mayo Clinic, a child’s activity doesn’t have to be a structured exercise program – the object is just to get him or her moving. The article continues to say that free play is an excellent form of physical activity for children. Monkey Joe’s allows for creative play and freedom of movement, all in one facility that has amenities for both children and adults.

Since opening its first location in 2004, Monkey Joe’s has reached 719,780 total hours of jumping at its 62 locations across the country. Monkey Joe’s is often the destination of children’s birthday parties, as well as walk-ins customers, looking to experience the active and fun atmosphere at Monkey Joe’s.  Monkey Joe’s attributes the growth and success to affordable rates, being open seven days a week, having a frequent customer incentive program, offering group rates and providing a consistent overall experience.

All Monkey Joe’s locations have committed to full jump sanitation from Swisher Hygiene, the country’s leading provider of commercial hygiene services. The service is intended to reduce exposure to germs and cross-contamination for all who visit and play at Monkey Joe’s, making it a cleaner environment than public playgrounds, schools, daycares and amusement parks.

A destination that caters to both children and parents, Monkey Joe’s provides wall-to-wall inflatables, including a main play center and a separate Mini Monkey Zone for toddlers. In addition to fun for the kids, Monkey Joe’s provides an unmatched parent lounge with comfortable seating, computer stations and flat screen TVs, allowing the facility to be the ultimate location for families.

Image Courtesy of  AN HONORABLE GERMAN

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In January 2012, Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and Obesity PPM will launch a long-term online educational initiative to increase understanding of the complexity of obesity and its many causes. The disease of obesity impacts individuals physically, emotionally, economically and socially.

This initiative will look at various factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, impacting individuals affected by obesity. Running throughout 2012 and 2013, the initiative will take a three-pronged approach: a 14-part series of publicly available webinars, articles addressing aspects of Obesity PPM’s Twelve Pillars model, and social media enriching the dialogue about each event topic. The first live online event will take place in late January 2012.

The Twelve Pillars model describes the relationships between the two categories of factors that impact obesity: individual factors and population-level factors. The six individual factors are cognition, addiction, nutrition, endocrinology and metabolism, exercise and activity level, and sleep, stress and immunity.

The six population level factors are the education system and parenting, workplace and business culture, community and lifestyle planning, food policy, production and delivery, healthcare policy and delivery, and financial instruments and funding.

Following the introductory event in January, each webinar will address one of the twelve factors from the individual and population levels and its relationship to the broader context of obesity, with the final event addressing the relationship between obesity, genetics, and the environmental triggering of gene expression.

The webinars will feature guest speakers, or panels of speakers, providing the latest unbiased, up-to-date information on these topics. By delivering these educational events at no cost to a broad audience, the OAC and Obesity PPM will advance their shared mission to reduce weight bias, social stigma, and discrimination. The content will be appropriate for all audiences seeking a broader understanding of obesity.

Further, by presenting multiple perspectives on controversial topics, the OAC and Obesity PPM will bring to light the extent of scientific, clinical and social work that must be done to both develop effective obesity prevention strategies and improve access to treatment for those affected by obesity.

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Hitting the treadmill to work off the festive pounds traditionally tops the New Year resolutions list, but according to research by moneysupermarket.com, Brits are shunning the gym this year.

Research by Britain’s number one comparison site found over two thirds of consumers (68%) won’t be joining or renewing their membership as they believe the gym is an unnecessary cost, and they keep fit and healthy in other ways. This is compared to 46% of respondents in 2009.

One in ten Brits (12%) are concerned about the cost implications with 5% not planning to renew their membership as they rarely used it this year and need to cut costs. A further 6% are unsure about signing up due to the current economic climate and needing to rethink their spending.

The research also found the younger generation favour the gym with almost one in five (18%) of 18-34 year olds stating they already regularly exercise and plan to renew their membership in the new year compared to just 6% of those aged over 55. Instead an overwhelming 81% of this age group stated the gym is a waste of money and find alternative ways to keep fit and healthy rather than signing up to a fitness club.

James Clarke, Head of Protection at MoneySupermarket.com said: “Despite the indulgence of Christmas it seems gym membership is not high on the priority list for a New Year health kick as Brits look to cut costs. Joining a gym can be a huge financial commitment, and with many gym-goers admitting to rarely using their membership, it’s important to consider whether their hard-earned cash can be used more effectively.”

Quitting smoking is also another resolution many vow to take as part of leading a healthier lifestyle. A recent poll run of MoneySupermarket site users found over 13% of respondents successfully quit last year, and a further 5% have vowed to kick the habit in 2012.

James Clarke continued: “For those exercise fanatics who commit to the gym and work out on a regular basis it is worth knowing there are life insurance and critical illness policies that reward a healthy lifestyle. The same also applies for smokers who quit the habit, as there is a huge price difference between policies for smokers and non-smokers. Brits could see average savings of GBP4,347 over the term of the policy – a significant sum of money!”

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The invention of the steam engine at the end of the 18th century was the beginning of evolution in transportation. This development allowed people to move heavier loads faster. A hundred years after, since the motor car was created, people were able to travel long distances without using a lot of effort.

By the end of 20th century, and continuing today, he computer is the main source of communication for the vast majority of people in the world. In last 10 years, the average growth of Internet usage in the world grew by 480 percent. This increase shows that people are becoming more addicted to online communication, and the need to physically interact with people has become limited.

The absence of the necessity to walk and do other physical activities in order to complete daily tasks is one of the leading causes of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century: obesity. Obesity is defined as a body having  excessive body fat, which causes health problem and reduces the life expectancy of a person.

Moreover, it increases the probability of having various diseases such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is caused by many factors. One reason could be the person’s genes, which usually explains 25-40 percent of a person’s weight. The remaining percentage of your body condition comes from that person’s culture, way of life, and environment. 

With the development of technology and transportation, the cost of goods has decreased, and most people are able to afford junk food, which is sold everywhere. Moreover, there is no need to go to the grocery stores as often since fast food services, such as pizza deliveries, are readily available. Such services are becoming more popular, especially among the younger generation.

The problem of obesity is more global than we think. It was estimated that Americans spend more than $33 billion annually on weight loss. Additionally, the cost of health care to treat obesity is $120 billion. The World Health Organization predicts that there will be 2.3 billion people with weight problems by 2015, which is almost a quarter of the world’s population. At the present, nearly a third the US population is obese.

How people should deal with obesity problem?

First of all, a person who is obese must understand his/her own problem and consciously decide to deal with that issue. It was recommended to use a positive criticism in order to build self-confidence, which means that criticism must be seen as a way to correct oneself, but not as an irritating factor.

As soon as an obese person is certain about his/her situation, a balanced diet must be chosen. When the goal is to lose weight by decreasing the amount of food, the body should still get all essential nutritients, since it is vital for physical health and appearance. In addition, it is important to have a habit of counting calories.

Whenever food is bought, all the labels must be read to know how many calories the product contains. If extra calories were consumed, exercise can help balance it. In conclusion, it is necessary to avoid ignoring small things. If you already decided to have a diet and be healthy, it should last for as long as possible, and must not depend on any events, such as wedding or birthday party.

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A new study conducted in Taiwan reveals that providing the body with a small dose of exercise several days a week can equate to a substantial list of health benefits.

Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes have discovered that those who exercise an overall average of 92 minutes a week acquired a 14 percent decreased mortality rate in comparison to inactive individuals.  The study, which was published in the Lancet, uncovers that this 14 percent mortality reduction translates into three added years to one’s life.

The significance of exercise is a well understood fact by society’s majority but it’s well known it’s not practiced by all.  Taiwan’s new study gives a new perspective to the typical look at exercise; It has consistently been vocalized that exercise in the arena of 30 minutes 5 days a week is the ideal but it’s a sure thing that Taiwan’s findings will offer people a look into exercise.

The study reads that while an individual may not be able to exercise into the 30 minute realm consistently if they can squeeze 15 minutes of exercise into their day they’ve still undoubtedly benefited there body.  The 30 minute a day mentality can be an overwhelming standard for many- Taiwan’s study, rather than feeding this mentality helps acknowledge the importance of exercise in a newer light.

The study’s researchers questioned 416,175 people who self-assessed how much they exercised.  Those surveyed were asked to note types of exercise they carried out in the previous month which includes walking, jogging and running which were then sorted into levels activity- inactive, low, medium, high or very high activity

The majority of participants were found to be classified as inactive while 22% were low, 14% as medium, and 5% for high and very high activity.

After that study was conducted the researchers carried out a follow up study organized after an approximate 8 years to determine the mortality risk and life expectancy for each grouping.

Their findings uncovered that simply 15 minutes of moderately intense exercise amounted to “significant health benefits” for those who were originally inactive. Ultimately the group of those who exercised had fewer deaths and fewer cancer-related deaths than the inactive category of people.

While many organizers fluent in the health and fitness field do recommend a half hour of exercise five days a week, this study helps cement the fact that even an ounce of exercise is working toward greater bodily health.

“Individuals are more likely to do 15 minutes of daily exercise than they are 30 minutes of daily exercise,” the authors stated.

Nonetheless the study was an observational study which leaves gaps for slight inaccuracy of the findings to arise.  This truth makes it difficult to determine whether the health outcomes of those studied were a result of exercise alone. And with the exercise accounts within the study being self-reported, this makes determining exactly how strong the health benefits of exercise are even further.

Yet it remains undeniable the positive impact any form of exercise can bring to one’s body and quality of life.

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Environment News Network (ENN) states that “more than 1.9 billion people worldwide were overweight in 2010, a 25 percent increase since 2002.” Doctors have found that people throughout the world are getting fatter with the possible exception of East Asia.

Overall, 24 percent of men and 27 percent of women seeing their doctors in a typical day are obese, and another 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women are overweight. This trend is strongly correlated to rising income and to an increase in preventable health problems.

The trend over the last decade toward heavier populations cuts across regions and income levels. In India, 19 percent of adults are overweight, up from 14 percent in 2002. In Mexico, the figure has risen by 8 percent since 2002, while Brazil’s is up by 7 percent and the rate in the U.K. is up by 5 percent. East Asia has seen a 4 percent increase over the period. The United States leads all industrialized countries with 78.6 percent of the adult population overweight.

That analysis shows that some 75 percent of adults in the 10 richest countries are overweight, while in the 10 poorest, only 18 percent are. On a regional level, the correlation between income and being overweight holds reasonably well. Europe generally has elevated levels, for example, while low-income sub-Saharan Africa averages lower body mass index (BMI) levels.

At a national level, however, the situation is more complex. A comparison of percentages of overweight people in all countries and their GDPs reveals a positive but weak correlation, with cultural, societal, and possibly genetic factors playing heavily into the mix.

People with a BMI between 18-24 are considered healthy. A BMI of 25 or greater is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or above is labeled “obese.”

Only about 7 percent of people in eastern Asia were obese, compared to 36 percent of people in Canada, 38 percent of women in the Middle East, and 40 percent in South Africa. In Northern Europe, men had an average BMI of 27 and women 26, just into the overweight category. Southern Europe, Australia, and Latin America had similar averages BMI of 28.

However, these are the calculations of those people who were all seeing doctors at the time of the study. While the poorest people in industrialized countries tend to be among the most overweight, this is not the case in the developing world, where the poorest have a very little chance of seeing a doctor, not to mention they are often undernourished.

People who are overweight and obese have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer. Exercise alone will not cut the risk of heart disease unless they also slim down.

“Even high quantities of physical activity are unlikely to fully reverse the risk of coronary heart disease in overweight and obese women without concurrent weight loss,” said Dr. Amy Weinstein of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

In a study conducted by Weinstein, active women with normal weight had the lowest risk of developing heart problems while there was a slightly higher risk for those with normal weight who were not active. The risk was next highest for active women who were either overweight or obese, and the highest for similar women who were inactive.

Weinstein explained that fat cells produce chemicals that can speed up hardening of the arteries and increase inflammation, harming blood vessels. On the other hand, physical activity makes for healthier blood vessels and reduces the risk of blood clots.

Before trying any exercise or diet regiment, Weinstein and other researchers urge people to visit their doctors first. Only with the right method and with someone watching over them can people lose weight and maintain it.

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Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter found in the blood platelets, digestive tract, brain and pineal glands that sends chemical messages between different nerve cells.  Low levels of this neurotransmitter can increase aggressive behavior, depression, anxiety and sleep disorders.  Serotonin, also known as hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is commonly referred to as the “feel good hormone” because in appropriate levels it can make you feel positive and balanced.

The main function of serotonin is to maintain the emotional balance of a person while also minimizing stress and depression and regulating sleep patterns.  When serotonin is low and feelings of being sluggish and depressed arise, people often seek out a “quick fix.”  This is usually a sugar-rush or temporary “high” achieved from grabbing a sugary snack like a donut.  This sugar rush will last temporarily, but since the serotonin level will remain unaffected, the rush will crash and the depressive feelings will resurface.  Opting to grab something sugary when feeling low will also lead to weight gain — which will only increase the negative feelings and thoughts.

There are many different foods and habits, however, that will naturally increase serotonin levels in the body.  These kinds of foods will gradually lead to a permanent fix instead of one that is temporary and often regretted.  Foods that will naturally boost serotonin levels range from proteins to carbohydrates.

Any food that is rich in protein will contain the amino acid called tryptophan.  Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin; it is converted to serotonin in the brain.

These protein rich foods include:

Poultry – eggs, chicken, turkey
Meat — (LEAN) pork, lamb
Fish — salmon, tuna
Dairy — low fat milk, yogurt
Soy — beans, nuts
Legumes — peas (including green, black-eyed and chick), beans (green, black, lima and kidney)

Carbohydrates are also used to naturally increase levels of serotonin.  This is not the sugary pastry that creates a temporary high, or the “comfort food” pasta dinner.  Those types of foods are simple carbohydrates.  The body needs complex carbs that will digest slowly, get into the blood stream and be transported to the brain, to raise serotonin levels.  Complex carbs will also enhance insulin production which allows tryptophan to reach the brain quicker (and therefore be converted into serotonin).

These complex carbohydrates include:

Whole wheat
Nuts — almonds, walnuts, pecans (unsalted is healthiest)
Vegetables — sweet potatoes, squash
Dark Chocolate — Yes!  (In limited amounts)
Fresh Fruits

To help the production of serotonin in the body, it is important to maintain a diet rich in vitamin B and omega 3 fatty acids.  Foods with ample amounts of vitamin B include brown rice, chicken, eggs, legumes, nuts and peas.  Omega 3 fatty acids are most often found in fish oils, salmon, tuna, etc.  Omega 6 fatty acids, found in canola oil, flax, grape seed oil, etc., are also beneficial to the production of serotonin.

Besides food, there are different ways to increase the levels of serotonin in the body and create a more balanced, healthy self.

Exercise is very important!  This idea is one that will help every aspect of the body, not just raising serotonin.  Exercise is always necessary and should never be forgotten.  If the body takes in all the aforementioned foods to increases levels of serotonin but is not given the appropriate amount of movement, the food will not be nearly as effective as its potential.  Exercise can be fun.  Classes like yoga, Zumba or aerobics will provide an excellent, fun workout without feeling overworked.  Swimming or walking are both great methods of exercise where a gym membership is not required.  Setting aside time at least three times a week will help get serotonin flowing in the body.

Sleep is extremely important in the production of serotonin.  The number one way to determine if Serotonin Deficiency Syndrome is present in a person is to monitor sleep habits.  Most sleeping disorders are related to serotonin deficiencies.  The brain will change serotonin into melatonin (the sleep hormone) during the night, so the amount of serotonin is always proportional to the amount of melatonin.  The body needs at least six to eight hours of sleep each day to run properly.  The best way to establish better sleep habits is to go to the bed at the same time every night; the television, radio, etc., should be off and not used as a sleep aid.

Food, exercise and sleep may not be enough to raise the levels of serotonin in everybody.  This is when Serotonin Deficiency Syndrome plays a role and it is advisable to schedule a visit with a doctor.  There are serotonin supplements that a doctor might recommend or prescribe.  These supplements can raise serotonin considerably and should not be taken without medical supervision.

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