Research

Weight off: Weight loss decreases the activity of a key enzyme that plays a central role in high blood pressure, researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill say.

Researchers wanted to find out if modest weight loss would lower blood pressure-regulating enzymes and hormones produced in fatty tissue.

When 16 volunteers lost 5 to 10 percent of their total body weight, researchers found that their overall blood pressure not only dropped, but angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity also declined dramatically - an average of 18 percent, said Dr. Joyce Harper, an associate professor.

"Even when people just lost about 7 percent of their initial weight and were still obese at the end of the study, they still had a significant improvement in ACE activity and also in blood pressure," Dr. Harper said. "A previous study had shown that as body mass index went up, ACE went up as well. Our new work shows that it goes down as weight disappears."

ACE-inhibiting drugs are among the most prescribed medications for controlling blood pressure and treating coronary artery disease and diabetic kidney disease.

Hot news

Survey says: The American Council on Exercise surveyed more than 17,000 fitness professionals on what exercise they couldn't live without.

And the winner is: the squat, which strengthens all of the major muscles of the lower body, including the glutes, the hamstrings, the quadriceps and the calves.

The runners-up, in order:

• Running

• Abdominal exercises

• Lunges

• Walking

• Push-ups

• Yoga

Shelf help

New thing: Yogilates (HarperResource; $26.95) by dancer and personal trainer Jonathan Urla combines yoga and Pilates into a single workout that emphasizes strength, flexibility, good posture and clear thinking.

Safety

Injury prevention: Women weight-lifters are more likely than men to follow a program designed by a fitness professional and ask their trainer for safety tips, but less likely to use a spotter or a weight belt when they're training, according to a survey from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

On average, male respondents began lifting younger - at age 29 - than women, who started when they were 35, and men had been lifting twice as long as women - 14 years, on average, compared with women's seven.

Women were twice as likely to report severe injury to knees or legs as men.

Overall, the shoulder was identified most often as the region of severe injury.

Siting

On wheels: Check out www.biketowork.org, the site dedicated to the brave souls who make their commute on two wheels. Even if you drive, the hints and tips will come in handy.

Contact Peggy O'Farrell by phone: 768-8510; fax, 768-8330; e-mail: pofarrell@enquirer.com.