Can fruit juice help fight off obesity?

Fruit juice can be good for you! Recent studies are showing some positive results for juice drinkers. In a study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics it was determined that a daily glass of fruit juice can lower the BMI (body mass index) of adult Canadians. Results from a study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion indicated that youth who consumed 100% fruit juice did not gain weight but valuable nutrients and a decreased intake of unhealthy fats. Finally, a longitudinal study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that milk and fruit juice were not among the sweetened beverages that attributed to an increase of BMI in young girls as the aged.

A healthy lifestyle combines smart nutritional choice with physical fitness. The food guide suggests consuming at least 8 fruit and vegetables a day and this can seem like a daunting task for some. Sneaking in a few extra servings through drinking fruit juice can be an excellent way to reach this goal.

Although juice is not a substitute for the nutritional value of actual fruit and vegetables these studies indicate that 100% fruit juice can be an excellent supplement.

You can find more nutritional information in the SIRC online resources area including past newsletters and full text articles on hydration and athlete.

Looks or Training Volume? Which is more important for ultra runners?

What matters more to performance in ultrarunners? Training or anthropometric parameters? The results from this research were published recently, combined with interesting facts on running performance such as:

• Skin-fold thickness is positively associated with performances over 1,500m -10,000m and marathons
• Length of upper leg is a positive associations with running times over 800,1500 and 5000m
• Circumferences of chest and thigh are positively associated with running times over 800m
• Upper arm circumference is positively associated with 10,000m running times and ultrarunners

Characteristics of Ultrarunners

• Lower BMI
• Lower amounts of fat at abdomen and legs

At the end of the day, the results of the study indicate that training volume and personal best time in marathon have a greater impact on performance when you are going the distance.

Want to read the full article? Contact us at askalibrarian@sirc.ca

Knechtle, B., Wirth, A., Knechtle, P., and Rosemann, T. (2010) Training Volume and Personal Best Time in Marathon, Not Anthropometric Parameters, are Associated with Performance in Male 100-km Ultrarunners. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 24(3), 604-609.