Category Archives: Fitness

February Health Spotlight: Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, someone dies of heart disease every 36 seconds in the US. That is 2,380 deathsRead More

Man sitting down, wincing at back pain

Why does your back hurt?

 Gwendolyn Sowa, M.D., Ph.D. Identifying the cause of low back pain has become a frequent challenge for medical professionals. It is also what has encouraged Gwendolyn Sowa, M.D., Ph.D., ofRead More

Headshot of Gary H. Gibbons, M.D.

Recognizing American Heart Month

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is excited to work with the National Library of Medicine on NIH MedlinePlus magazine to highlight important research on physical activity andRead More

Headshot of Sara Santiago.

Personal Story: Sara Santiago

Sara Santiago, 40, was never an athlete. She joined gyms and exercised on occasion, but never found a routine she could maintain. “I felt intimidated because I didn’t know howRead More

Older ladies power walking

Rethinking 10,000 steps

If you have a fitness tracker or use your smartwatch to count your steps, you might be tracking a goal of walking 10,000 steps a day. But is that manyRead More

An elderly couple sitting down, laughing, wearing roller skates

Exercise key to keeping weight off

Losing weight is not easy but keeping it off can prove even harder. NIH researchers are studying ways to keep lost weight off in research that blends entertainment and science.Read More

Microscopic view of mitochondria proteins

New discovery about middle-age weight gain

A team of scientists has identified an enzyme that promotes weight gain and the loss of exercise capacity starting in midlife. Enzymes increase the rate of chemical reactions. Through animalRead More