Health Buzz: New Fitness Guidelines and Other Health News

U.S. Government: Americans Need 150 Minutes of Exercise Per Week

The U.S. government announced overall recommendations for physical activity earlier this week. Among the suggestions: Exercise moderately for 150 minutes a week and strength-train twice a week, and you'll reap substantial health benefits. The guidelines endorse bone- and muscle-building activities such as tree climbing for kids and suggest that people short on time work harder for shorter periods. Also, older people should watch their balance, and expectant mothers should remain active during pregnancy.

U.S. News'sKatherine Hobson lists seven tips from Uncle Sam's new fitness guidelines. Previously, Hobson reported that the surgeon general and other groups were already offering that same basic prescription for exercise.

How to Talk to Your Kids About the Poor Economy

With nothing but dire financial news ruling the airwaves lately, you can be certain children have pricked up their ears. As hard times begin to hit home—and purse strings yank tighter—how much of your worries should you share with the kids? U.S. News's Lindsay Lyon asked David Palmiter, a Scranton, Pa., clinical psychologist expert in counseling children and families, for advice on how and when to discuss difficult topics with children without upending their whole world.

Earlier this week, Deborah Kotz explained how women can manage their money-related stress.

About 25 Percent of Girls Have Opted for the HPV Vaccine

About a quarter of girls ages 11 to 17 have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported yesterday. The vaccine, Gardasil, is expected to provide protection for at least six years. It's not known if booster shots will be needed later in life. The vaccine is costly—about $375—but is covered by many health insurers, HealthDay reports. "This is very good for a first-year measurement of a new vaccine," Lance Rodewald, director of the Division of Immunization Services at the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a teleconference yesterday. "It usually takes six to nine years to achieve the desired 90 percent coverage."

In July, Kotz explored whether the HPV vaccine is to blame for a teen's paralysis. Last year, she reported on what to do about HPV.

David Macaulay Tackles the Way We Work

In his previous books, award-winning author and illustrator David Macaulay has deconstructed a cathedral, a computer mouse, the Empire State Building, and E-mail, among other things. In The Way We Work, he (with coauthor Richard Walker) turns to the human body, taking readers on a tour of ourselves—from the atoms of which we're comprised to the brain that governs it all. The breakdown of glucose into ATP is drawn to look almost like a pinball game. A section on the spleen envisions it as a factory, complete with conveyor belts and parking spots for workers, that breaks down the worn-out red blood cells and recycles whatever elements it can. High blood pressure is illustrated with drawings of pipes and gauges. The flow of oxygen through the body's circulatory and respiratory systems is portrayed as a roller coaster called "Ride of a Lifetime."

Hobson spoke with Macaulay about his latest work.

—January W. Payne