|
Vol. 3, No. 6 - January 27, 2004
|
Arciero Revisits Diet/Exercise Study Associate Professor of Exercise Science Paul Arciero this fall received an $11,000 grant to conduct a follow-up study of individuals who participated in his 2002 research of two well-known nutrition and exercise programs. The grant, from Experimental and Applied Sciences (EAS) of Golden, Colo., enabled Arciero to contact 29 people from his original study, which took place over three months in late 2002, to see how they were doing a year after the study ended and to assess their ability to maintain some of the significant benefits of having participated in the study. During the late summer of 2002, Arciero received $151,000 from EAS to analyze the effectiveness of diet and exercise on body weight and composition (fat and muscle mass), metabolic rate, blood lipids (cholesterol, HDL, LDL), blood pressure, and mood state. He recruited approximately 60 volunteers, male and female, from the campus and the community to participate. Study subjects ranged in age from 28 to 60 years and were divided among three groups: Group One--Resistance training, Cardio-vascular training and High-protein diet (RT+CT+HP); Group Two--Cardio-vascular training and High-carbohydrate diet (CT+HC); and a Control group (C). All study subjects had baseline tests done to determine weight, total body fat and muscle mass, metabolic rate, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and mood state. The two treatment groups were given different diet and exercise programs, which they followed for three months. Control subjects had no regular exercise or diet programs. At the end of the program, in November 2002, both treatment groups demonstrated beneficial outcomes from having followed the programs. In November 2003, Arciero did a follow-up of 29 of his original study subjects to see how well they had maintained the benefits of the diet and exercise programs after being on their own for a year. Arciero stated that both physiologically and statistically significant beneficial changes had been maintained for over a year. For example, he explained, "It's very unusual to find that people maintain their muscle mass on a weight and fat reduction program," an outcome that he deemed "great." The most intriguing findings that Arciero noted were that even though Group One had significant improvements in metabolic rate, blood pressure, and blood lipid profiles after 12 weeks, these improvements were no longer statistically significant at the one-year follow-up. However, Group Two had not only a significant lowering in LDL-cholesterol (the so-called "bad" cholesterol) at 12 weeks but was able to maintain this at the one-year follow-up. In terms of body weight and composition, study subjects maintained their success but with certain of the blood lipid and blood pressure variables they were not as successful. Arciero suggested that body composition changes may be easier to maintain over the long term than some of the other important cardiovascular risk variables such as cholesterol and blood pressure. Regardless, all of the participants were provided the appropriate lifestyle tools so that once they finished they knew what they had to do to be able to maintain most of the favorable changes that occurred at 12 weeks. People who did not continue with the program once on their own "were probably not willing to maintain the level of intensity necessary to continue these results," he said. It appears that both the Group One and Group Two exercise and diet programs have demonstrable benefits for people willing to follow them. However, long-term maintenance remains the challenge for most people, according to Arciero. "I am grateful to all the participants who devoted their time and energy to this research study and hope that they feel they benefited as well," he said. Arciero and his research collaborators - Chris Gentile '00, Heather Wood '01, Roger Martin Pressman and Michael Ormsbee '02, and Lauren Zwicky and Meghan Everett '03 - are in the process of writing an article analyzing the data from their original study and the follow-up for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.Red Cross Bloodmobile Scheduled In order to donate blood, a person must weigh at least 110 pounds and have not donated less than 56 days ago. Other general guidelines include waiting at least 12 months after having a tattoo or a body piercing. More guideline information is available at the following web site. If you have a specific question about your own eligibility, you can contact the Red Cross regulatory manager in Albany: Jody Baker, RN, 462-7461 ext. 801, or the national coordinator at 1-800-212-1659. Schick Art Gallery Opens Year with Juried Student Exhibition The annual juried Student Art Exhibition opens this week at the Schick Art Gallery. Mark Wethli of Bowdoin College juried the show. For details, click here. Battleworks Dance Company to Perform on Campus
Both performances will begin at 8 p.m. in the College's Dance Theater. General admission is $10, $8 for senior citizens. The program will be the same both nights and will include the following works: Alleluia, Strange Humors, Damn, Rush Hour, Mood Indigo, Takademe, and The Hunt. Battleworks residency master classes in the Skidmore dance studios will be open to observers and to advanced/intermediate dancers. Monday and Wednesday classes (Feb. 11-25) will take place 4-5:50 p.m.; classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays (Feb. 10-24) will be offered 3:40-5:30 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door. Founded nearly three years ago by dancer and choreographer Robert Battle, Battleworks consists of eight dancers. Many are longtime Battle dancers who helped found and administer the new company. Battleworks won early critical acclaim. Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times hailed Battle in 2002 as "a choreographer to watch...refreshingly free of the 'isms' that permeate the experimental dance scene." Legendary Alvin Ailey dancer and artistic director Judith Jamison described Battle as "an immensely talented choreographer, mover and shaker, [whose] works are spontaneous, intense, brooding, and eclectic." Born in Miami, Fla., Battle trained at the New World School of the Arts in Miami, then earned a B.F.A degree in dance from the Juilliard School. A member of the Parsons Dance Company from 1994-2001, he began setting work on that company in 1998. His works have since been commissioned by the Hubbard Street Repertory Ensemble, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, and the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, among others. His work has been performed across the United States and in Europe, South America, and Japan. For more information, call the Dance Program at ext. 5360. In the News Skidmore faculty who recently shared their expertise in the mainstream media include the following: Sandy Baum, professor of economics, was a source for a Dec. 19 Chronicle of Higher Education story titled "Tuition: Rising Expenses Will Lead to Higher Prices," and for a Jan. 6 Chronicle story titled "Economists Fault Tuition Information, Saying Reports Overstate Increases and What Students Pay"; a Jan. 14 Gannett News Service story titled "More College Scholarships Go to Wealthy Students," and a Jan. 26 article in The Digital Collegian (published independently by students at Penn State) titled "Private loan use up to help cover tuition." Gerry Erchak, professor of anthropology, appeared as a commentator on National Geographic Channel's Taboo Jan. 19. The episode was titled "Extreme Entertainers." President Philip Glotzbach was quoted in a story titled "Academics Discuss How to Explain the Value of the Liberal Arts to Those Who Pay the Bills" in the Jan. 26 online edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Katie Hauser, associate professor of art history, was interviewed for a Jan. 22 story in the Glens Falls Post-Star titled "A gray issue: Hyde exhibit of Rodin's works brings debate of authenticity to the region." Mary Zeiss Stange, associate professor of women's studies and religion, contributed an opinion essay titled "Raise cattle naturally, safely on open range" to the Jan. 6 issue of USA Today. Gordon Thompson, associate professor of music, discussed his Beatles seminar and course on British popular music in the 1960s in a Jan. 21 story in the Albany Times Union. Mark Vinci, lecturer in music, performed in a small group with Michael Feinstein during the Jan. 11 NBC TV program featuring Olympic ice skater Scott Hamilton.
|
Known for its intense musicality and a repertory of quirky, idiosyncratic dances, Battleworks Dance Company will present two evenings of contemporary dance at Skidmore on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 21.