Recovering Male Adolescent Obesity at 12-14 Aged Childhood in Dhaka: A Case Study

2026-08-14T06:35:50+00:00

Childhood obesity is a rising social health issue in South Asia, but regulated data on school-based physical education (PE) as an intervention therapy of adolescent males is limited. This paper has discussed the possibility of a 12-week daily school based PE to enhance anthropometric and fitness outcomes associated with obesity among 12-14-year-old male adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Thirty obese/overweight male students (mean age 13.2 ± 0.5 years) were randomly allocated to either active (45-minute structured PE, 5 days/week) or inactive control (simple versions of the standard curriculum) group (n = 15 in each group). BMI, waist circumference, waist-height ratio, 6-minute walk distance, push-up count (60 seconds), sit-and-reach flexibility, and knowledge about obesity were measured at pre- and post-intervention. Paired t-tests were used for within-group differences and independent t-tests for between-group differences (α = 0.05); Cohen’s d was used to calculate effect sizes. Significant improvements were observed in all seven outcomes (p < 0.01) in the active group, including a decrease in BMI (1.3 kg/m², d = 0.85), waist circumference (4.3 cm, d = 0.81), and an increase in the 6-minute walk distance (92 m, d = 1.15) and the number of push-ups (7.2, d = 1.08). The control group showed no significant physical changes, with non-significant changes in BMI (+0.6 kg/m², p = 0.052) and waist circumference (+1.2 cm, p = 0.064). Between-group comparisons at post-test favored the active group in all physical measures (p < 0.01), but gains in knowledge were statistically similar between groups (p = 0.232). Daily school-based physical education resulted in clinically significant, substantially large changes in body composition, cardiovascular fitness, and muscular strength in male adolescents in a low-resource, urban South Asian environment, but obesity-related knowledge alone did not translate into physiological change. These results support policy interest in mandatory PE in high schools as an inexpensive, accessible intervention for adolescent obesity.

Analysis of Nutritional Components of Common Tonifying Traditional Chinese Medicines and Research on Their Compatibility in Daily Diet

2026-08-14T06:39:51+00:00

Tonifying traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are widely applied in clinical TCM practice, primarily used to ameliorate physical debilitation and treat various deficiency disorders based on the TCM theory of “strengthening healthy qi and consolidating the root”. In recent years, the concept of “medicine and food sharing the same origin” has gained increasing attention, and the application of tonifying TCMs in daily diets has expanded gradually. This paper takes several common tonifying TCMs including Ginseng, Astragalus, Chinese Angelica, Lycium barbarum, Polygonatum, Codonopsis and Hedysarum polybotrys as research objects. It sorts out major nutritional and active components such as polysaccharides, amino acids, trace elements, saponins and flavonoids contained in these herbs. Combined with recent relevant studies, this paper analyzes the correlation between these components and the tonifying effects of the herbs. Furthermore, integrating classical medicinal food compatibility experience and modern pharmacological research (covering immune regulation, cardiovascular protection, anti-hypoxia, intestinal microflora regulation and other fields), it discusses the scientific rationality of matching tonifying TCMs with daily food ingredients.

The study concludes that the nutritional and active components in these herbs not only scientifically explain their tonifying efficacy, but also form the material basis for daily dietary compatibility. Integrating the TCM principle of dietary therapy based on syndrome differentiation with modern nutrition science is an effective path to promote the rational development and utilization of tonifying TCMs. This paper can provide learning references for students majoring in TCM Resources and Development, and offer theoretical support for the research and development of health products.

Current Research in Medical Sciences

Recovering Male Adolescent Obesity at 12-14 Aged Childhood in Dhaka: A Case Study

Analysis of Nutritional Components of Common Tonifying Traditional Chinese Medicines and Research on Their Compatibility in Daily Diet