Dole Fresh Foods Logo

Find Your Farm

All our fruit from the farm straight to your local supermarket. The farm code tells you which farm produced the fruit you are eating. Just enter the 3- or 5-digit code to find out where your fruit came from and learn about the country and the people who grew and picked it!

Dole Banana Farmer

Health Kick for Men

Health Kick for Men
Playing Soccer May Lower BMI 

Lace up your cleats and take it to the field! A study out of the University of Copenhagen finds soccer may be more than just a game when it comes to better health. 

Researchers divided 26 older men (average age 68 years) into three groups: One group played soccer for an hour one or two times per week, another group lifted weights, and the third was a control group and did not exercise. After 52 weeks, the group that played soccer saw a small drop in BMI, while the weight-lifting group saw no change and the control group actually gained weight. 

Researchers noted benefits on the cellular level too. The soccer group saw a 59% increase in the expression of SOD-2, a gene that helps fight oxidative stress and inflammation, and a 30% increase in GLUT-4, a transporter that takes sugar out of the blood and into cells for energy (a good effect for diabetes prevention). 

The benefits of soccer don’t stop there. Previous studies by the same group of researchers demonstrated that four months of twice-weekly one-hour training sessions improved maximum oxygen uptake by 15% and muscle function by 30%. Soccer training also showed promise as a guard against osteoporosis, increasing seniors’ retention of minerals (calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, etc.) in their bones. 

You don’t need to play like David Beckham to add some soccer to your fitness routine. Round up some friends, find a field, and let the game begin! If you’re more serious about the sport, find a local league through a health club or community center.

Published June 1, 2016

Get Some Fresh Inspiration

Explore Salads Find Meal Inspiration from Dole

Company

About Careers Terms of Use Code of Conduct Press Releases Sustainability

Dole Family

Dole Fruit Hawaii Dole Packaged Foods Ocean Cargo Dole Pineapple Farm Tour

Partners

DBCP Facts Memorandum of Insurance Transparency in Supply Chain Management Truckers & Customers Information Portal

Contact Privacy Policy © 2024 All rights reserved.