'Tis the season for the ultimate test: sticking to your New Year's resolutions. We've all made them at one point or another - whether it is sticking to a diet or pledging to end procrastination. According to The Wall Street Journal, the most popular of them all is losing weight. As students frequent the Aquatic and Fitness Center, researchers have discovered scientific benefits to exercise which may provide reluctant gym goers with that bit of motivation they may be lacking.
Published earlier this month in the journal Nature, a study from researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School examines the effect of exercise on a more cellular level. The researchers discovered a new hormone produced in response to exercise which turns white fat into brown fat, also known as the "good fat." Brown fat cells burn calories by using energy, while white fat cells are inert storage rooms for fat.
This hormone is called PGC1-alpha and is produced in muscles during and after exercise - decreasing people's susceptibility to obesity, diabetes and other related health problems, the research suggests. The increase in PGC1-alpha causes an increase in a protein called Fndc5, which splits into a few pieces - one of which reaches the fat cells via the bloodstream and provides biochemical signals to turn regular organ fat into brown fat. The exact biological mechanism, however, still remains a mystery.
This new research demonstrates the possible health benefits of exercise. To promote exercise and healthy living within the student body, Student Council's Safety & Wellness Committee has organized health initiatives which range from physical exercise to improving mental health. Last year the committee offered a free Zumba class in the AFC as well as a free self-defense class taught by University Police as part of its year-long program, "What Wellnesss Means to Hoos," committee Co-Chair Arushi Kumar said.
"This semester, in late March/early April, we will be hosting our annual Wellness Week where every day is dedicated to a different aspect of health and wellness," she said.
When it comes to health and wellness, learning about the effects of exercise on a cellular and biological level and taking advantage of the activities the University has to offer will surely keep you on track to follow your New Year's resolution.
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