According to literature review published in the Journal of Family Medicine in the February 2008 issue, “Patients who used pedometers walked more, lost weight without dieting, and improved their systolic blood pressure“.

This is based on a meta-analysis published in JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) 2007 which analyzed over 26 studies of pedometer use in adult outpatients that reported a change in the number of steps walked per day. The 2767 participants in these studies were 85% women, with a mean age of 49. At baseline, most participants were overweight, with normal blood pressure (mean 129/79 mm Hg) and relatively well-controlled cholesterol levels (mean total cholesterol 198 mg/dL, HDL 52 mg/dL, LDL 113 mg/dL). The mean baseline activity level was 7473 steps per day (range 2140–12,371). Duration of interventions ranged from 3 to 104 weeks, with a mean of 18 weeks. (more…)

Overweight and obesity are found worldwide, and the prevalence of these conditions in the United States ranks high along with other developed nations. Below are some data based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2004.

Adults age 20 and older who are overweight or obese (BMI > 25)

All adults: 133.6 million (66 percent) - ABOUT 2/3rd of U.S. Adults!
Women: 65 million (61.6 percent)
Men: 68.3 million (70.5 percent) (more…)

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical Index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (i.e. how long it takes for a particular food convert in to glucose in our body). Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a Glycemic Index (GI) of 100.
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The Zone Diet is created by Dr. Barry Sears, a researcher at MIT who holds PhD in Biochemistry. The idea of treating food as a drug was a revolutionary approach to dieting that Dr. Sears based on 1982 Nobel Prize-winning research that examined how dietary fats can influence hormones and health. The Zone Diet was officially unveiled in 1995 in his number one New York Times best seller The Zone.
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