Instead of putting in overtime hours at the office, consider doing double time at the gym. Some employers are planning to offer financial incentives for employees to lose weight.

About two thirds of Americans over age 20 are overweight or obese, and this fact translates into a plethora of health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease. A cheeseburger here and skipping a workout there, and before you know it your slacks are a little tighter than they were last year. Breaking these habits isn’t easy, either.

That’s where the Leonard Davis Institute’s Center for Health Incentives at the University Pennsylvania steps in. The center is dedicated to uncovering effective ways to push people toward good health.

Dr. Kevin Volpp, director of the program, says there’s been an explosion of interest in programs that encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles. According to an article by MSBC, about a third of U.S. companies are rewarding workers to enroll in get-healthy programs.

Enrollment has exploded, too. In workplaces like Ohio Health, almost half of the workforce in five hospitals is being rewarded to walk their way to fitness. Volpp says the key is finding an effective motivator.

“When trying to get people to lose weight, we’re basically asking them to do less of the things that on some level they enjoy,” he told Boston Magazine. And who doesn’t enjoy a little extra cash in the bank?

For now there have only been a handful of studies to investigate the effectiveness of these incentives. Results are mixed across the board. Some participants lose little or no weight, while others lose ten or more pounds in just a few months. As these programs grow and develop, Volpp believes attitudes will change and the programs will become more effective.

To read more, visit MSNBC or learn more about Volpp’s research at the Center for Health Incentives.

Nearly one in three pregnant women are also obese, which can lead to serious health problems for both mother and child. Exercise during pregnancy can help cut that risk, and a new study says yoga is a safe and healthy option.

The amount of weight a woman should gain during pregnancy varies. However, excessive weight gain can lead to high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, an increased likelihood of c-section, and other pregnancy complications.

Yoga helps you stay fit by targeting, toning and tightening specific muscle groups. It can help relieve stress, build strength and sculpt muscles. Even recent new moms Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna use yoga to stay slim.

Dr. Rachel Rohde, an orthopaedic surgeon and expecting mother herself, says yoga can be adapted to meet the needs of pregnant women.

“A pregnant woman's body goes through a lot of changes that will alter the way she practices yoga, whether she is a veteran or a beginner,” she said in an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon (AAOS) news release. "Women who are expecting can benefit greatly from exercise, especially yoga -- they just need to be aware of their limitations."

If not done correctly, however, yoga can lead to injuries like neck, shoulder, spine and leg strain, not to mention overstretching. Rohde says these types of injuries can be avoided by changing to a more comfortable position.

“One of the best aspects of yoga is being in control of your body and having the ability to do each movement at your own pace,” she said. ““If you are unable to move into a difficult position, you always have the option to get into a resting pose if experiencing pain.”

There are other safe exercise options for pregnant women, too. The American Pregnancy Association recommends swimming, walking and light aerobics. The best way to find out what’s best for you is to know your capabilities, and consult a doctor to find your safest options.

Visit the American Pregnancy Association to learn more about top recommended exercises for pregnant women, or see Rohde’s interview in The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

You've heard of toning your abs and working your glutes, but what about your throat? As it turns out, throat exercises could relieve symptoms of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea—apnea literally means “without breath” in Greek—affects more than 12 million Americans and causes on-again, off-again breathing throughout the night. People with sleep apnea may also experience loud snoring and/or feel tired despite getting a full night’s sleep.

There are two main types of sleep apnea—central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain doesn’t send signals to the brain to breathe; and the more common obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when throat muscles relax.

A person with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) usually experiences disrupted breathing and poor sleep quality. For this study, 15 people with moderate OSAS did breathing exercises every day for 3 months. Another 16 did what were known as oropharyngeal (throat) exercises using a breathing machine.

Not unlike a stair master that works your thighs, the breathing machine works your throat using what’s known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The machine continuously pumps air through a mask to force air passages open during inhalation. Each session lasts for roughly 30 minutes.

Participants who did the breathing exercises did not show any significant improvements at the end of the experiment, but those who used CPAP had a lower neck circumference, snored less frequently and intensely, and experienced better sleep quality. The overall severity of their condition was reduced by a whopping 39 percent.

“Oropharyngeal exercises significantly reduce OSAS severity and symptoms,” authors of the study concluded. “(These exercises) represent a promising treatment for OSAS.”

Learn more about sleep apnea from the American Sleep Apnea Association, or read the source article from the New York Times.

Smoking, heavy drinking, a poor diet, and too much time spent on the couch are bad for your health, but they may also be taking years off your life. These four bad habits could actually be causing your body to age up to 12 years, research suggests.

Nearly 4,900 men and women age 18 or older were randomly chosen to participate in a University of Oslo study examining the effects of certain habits—smoking, excessive alcohol consumption (3 or more drinks for men, and two or more for women), getting less than 2 hours of exercise per week, and not eating well (specifically, not enough fruits and vegetables).

The study began in 1985, and followed participants for 20 years, checking death certificates and doing follow-ups. Of the 314 participants who had all four habits, almost one-third died over the duration of the study, while less than 10 percent of the 387 people who had none passed away.

Heart disease and cancer topped the list for cause-of-death for people who had a combination of these habits, while the health of those still living was “equivalent to being 12 years older” than their healthier counterparts.

Lead researcher Elizabeth Kvaavik thinks these findings may be the extra incentive some people need to improve their lifestyles.

"You don't need to be extreme to be in the healthy category,” Kvaavik said in a news piece by MSNBC. "These (healthy) behaviors add up, so together it's quite good…It should be possible for most people to manage."

Kvaavik and her colleagues acknowledge that changing these habits may not be easy, but that they pay off.

“The combined effect of poor health behaviors on mortality was substantial, indicating that modest, but sustained, improvements to diet and lifestyle could have significant public health benefits,” authors of the study concluded.

Visit the Archives of Internal Medicine to read more on the study.

You can test your blood sugar, you can test your blood pressure, but did you know you can test your risk of falling? You can now thanks to a screening tool developed by the University of Missouri School of Health Professions.

University of Missouri associate professor Carmen Abbott created the test to help predict an individual’s risk of falling, which they hope will help reduce the risk of injuries.

“It’s very important for adults to understand their won fall-risk factors,” Abbott said in a press release. “This test can become a primary prevention strategy that can be used in regular screenings.”

The test is made up of 16 parts, including a questionnaire and physical tests. It includes questions about fall history, what types of medication an individual takes, and whether he or she experiences dizziness. The physical tests include strengthen balance and range of motion exercises.

Testing each person allowed researchers to develop a customized risk prevention plan. “Personalizing the risk exercise prescription palatable to an individual that has not taken physical activity or the idea of decreased physical function seriously,” authors wrote.

In the University of Missouri press release, Abbott offers tips for people who wish to improve their coordination and reduce their risk of falls.

“It’s very important for adults to understand their own fall-risk factors,” she says. “What’s more important is for adults to know their risk and stay as active as possible.”

If a few vanity pounds are getting you down, it shouldn’t be about the ones on your hips. What you should be worrying about is visceral fat, which is the fat that sometimes surrounds the abdominal organs.

More women than men experience an increase in this type of fat, especially in the time following menopause. It is often responsible for the change in a woman’s body to an apple shape. In men, it may manifest itself as a “beer belly.”

Sometimes referred to as abdominal obesity, this fat is more dangerous than the subcutaneous fat that lies just under the skin. Fat cells produce hormones, including ones that can cause insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Visceral fat is also thought to increase the risk of heart disease, metabolic problems, and high blood pressure. It has also been linked to breast cancer.

It is quite possible for a person with a healthy weight and relatively trim waistline to have significant amounts of visceral fat. It can be hard to see because of where it lies; in some cases it can only be detected with an MRI.

According to the Mayo Clinic, lack of exercise and low metabolism isn’t necessarily the culprit. The problem, they say, may be genetics. If your family has a history of gaining weight around the middle, it may be a challenge for you, too. In women, hormonal changes during menopause also may cause a change in how fat is broken down and stored.

Rather than calculating your BMI, Mayo Clinic suggests simply measuring your waistline. A waist measurement of 35 inches or more, the clinic says, indicates an unhealthy concentration of abdominal fat.

One of the best things you can do for your body is exercise regularly, and, luckily, visceral fat responds well to working out. Daily moderate exercise along with strength training may be your best bet to battling the bulge.

Here’s a new tip for people who want to lose weight: work out in the morning and eat a good breakfast to lose more weight.

People who work out in the morning reap a ton of benefits. Many report better moods, more energy throughout the day and greater alertness. Thy also appear to have better, longer workouts.

A study from the U.K. found that morning exercisers work out harder. Translation? They burn more calories, which means they’re more likely to lose more weight.

Another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that exercisers who ate breakfast were more satisfied by this meal. Some reported lower appetite throughout the day. Researchers asked 58 obese men and women to expend 500 calories daily and eat a regular breakfast of toast, tea and cereal to shed pounds.

“The effect of exercise on appetite regulation involves at least two processes,” authors write, “an increase in the overall drive to eat, and a concomitant increase in the satiating efficiency of a fixed meal.” Authors say it is the strength of this effect that determines weight loss.

All 58 participants reported being hungrier after exercise, but those who lost less weight reported feeling less satisfied by other meals.  Although they were satisfied by breakfast, they actually remained hungrier throughout the day. Their counterparts had less of an appetite.

“These data confirm that exercise has the capacity to alter the sensitivity of the appetite regulatory system via the compensatory response to consumed foods or preloads,” authors explain.

Despite the differences, all participants lost some weight. Researchers attribute differences in the amount of weight lost may be due to the lack of regulation for other meals. In any case, eating a regular breakfast appears to increase morning meal satisfaction.

“The exercise regimen apparently raised the sensitivity of the physiologic signaling system,” authors write, “which allowed the same amount of food to realize a greater suppression of hunger.”

Spending more than a few hours per week on the computer surfing the Internet may be adding inches to your waistline. Adults who spend three or more hours per week online are more likely to be overweight or obese, according to a study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

More than 2,500 adults from Adelaide, Australia, participated in a study correlating leisure-time computer use with body weight. Participants filled out a questionnaire, reporting web usage (excluding work-time computer use) and other low-energy leisure activities.

Participants were divided into sub-groups based on how much time they spent on the Internet—no use, low use (less than 3 hours per week), or high use (greater than 3 hours per week).

“Adults with high leisure-time Internet and computer use were more likely to be overweight or obese even if they were highly active in their leisure time, as compared to participants who did not use the Internet or computer,” study authors write.

The average time spent on the Internet was 125.3 minutes per week. Participants with high use were 1.46 times more likely to be overweight and 2.52 times as likely to be obese. They were also 2.5 times more likely to do other low-energy activities, such as watching television, for five or more hours per day.

“These findings suggest that, apart from nutritional and physical activity interventions, it may also be necessary to decrease time spent in sedentary behaviors, such as leisure-time Internet and computer use, in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity,” the authors write.

Although the results of the study are suggestive, study authors explain that there were limitations that may have affected the outcomes.

“The strong associations of leisure-time Internet and computer use with overweight and obesity may in part be explained by the association of leisure-time Internet and computer use with other leisure-time sedentary behaviors."

Further investigation on leisure-time computer use will provide more information on the effects of internet usage on health and weight.

Good news for gamers and parents—playing certain video games could actually count as exercise. New research shows that playing Wii Sports, if used correctly, could be the equivalent of a mild workout.

Sixteen volunteers, ages 20 to 24, took a fitness test to determine a baseline rating of perceived exertion (RPE).  Participants were instructed on proper usage of the game and played various Wii games while researchers monitored oxygen intake, heart rate and RPE.

The study, led by John Porcari, Ph. D., and Alexa Carroll, M.S., focused on six different activities—Free Run, Island Run, Free and Advanced Steps, Super Hula Hoop, and Rhythm Boxing.

Volunteers participated in each of the six activities randomly for 6 minutes. The Free and Island Run exercises required more energy, but neither used enough to meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s standard to affect cardio endurance.  The other activities fell below these health guidelines as well.

All of the activities did, however, burn calories. In 30 minutes, each activity burned the following number of calories:

• Free Step, 99 calories
  
• Advanced Step, 108 calories
• Super Hula Hoop, 111 calories
• Boxing, 114 calories
• Free Run, 165 calories
• Island Run, 165 calories

Although these exertion levels are significantly lower than doing similar exercise without the game, Wii Fit still used twice the calories of other video games. This is enough exertion to be considered a very mild workout.

“I guess anything is better than nothing,” Porcari says, “ but we were a little bit underwhelmed by the intensity of some of the exercises.”

An earlier study showed that certain Wii Sports activities burned more calories.

“You’re better off doing Wii Sports than Wii Fit,” Porcari explains. “In Wii Sports there’s more jumping around, and you’re not constrained by having to stand on the balance pad. I think there’s much more freedom of movement and you get a better workout.”

Thirty minutes each of Wii Sports activities burned the following number of calories:

• Wii Baseball, 84 calories
• Wii Golf, 93 calories
• Bowling, 117 calories
• Tennis, 159 calories
• Boxing, 306 calories

These findings could cut pounds for gamers in the long run, Carroll says, but it’s best not to rely on Wii alone. “Since using the Wii Fit alone may not produce results that meet recommended physical activity guidelines it is important that individuals participate in additional exercises to effectively reach these guidelines,” she says.

Read more about the Wii Fit and Wii Sports studies.

There may be a new ray of hope for glaucoma patients striving to preserve their vision. According to a recent study that appears in August’s online issue of BMC Ophthalmology, just ten minutes daily of aerobic exercise may help prevent further vision loss.

Researchers from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Department of Anesthesiology at the "G.Papanikolaou" Regional Hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece, sought to explore the effects of exercise on medicated patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Glaucoma is a disease that causes damage to the optic nerve, often resulting in severe vision loss or blindness. It is an irreversible condition that affects roughly 4 million people in the United States, about half of whom are unaware that they have it. Women, persons with diabetes or stroke, and African American men over 40 are at a greater risk.

Although glaucoma is typically seen in the elderly (persons over 60), everyone is at risk. Glaucoma may develop with or without symptoms, and as many as 10 percent of people receiving proper treatment will still experience vision loss. High intraocular pressure (IOP) is one of its many risk factors.

“Since exercise increases systemic fibrinolytic activity (such as dissolving blood clots), one can speculate that exercise decreases intraocular pressure by facilitating (uveoscleral) outflow,” authors of the study wrote.”

Based on this information, researchers gathered data from 145 individuals—100 healthy and 45 with POAG. Prior to testing researchers checked IMP levels using Goldmann’s applanation tonometry, a method of measuring the amount of pressure needed to flatten the cornea.

IMP was measured again hours after receiving medicated eye drops. Participants were then asked to engage in “moderate to sub-maximal” aerobic exercise (on a bicycle) for 10 minutes, after which IOP data was again measured. All participants experienced lower IOP levels, even in the participants who received no medication.

“Regardless of the antiglaucoma medication instilled, they still benefited from the aerobic exercise since they all had a post-exercise reduction of IOP,” the authors wrote in the study. “It is obvious that these patients should be encouraged to perform aerobic exercise.”

Have more questions? Visit Healia's Glaucoma Community.