MUNCIE, Ind. -- Exercise might someday become a prescription for the common cold as a result of research at Ball State University.

Thomas Weidner, professor of physical education, is in his eighth year of studying the effect of exercise on colds. This fall, his focus is on sedentary individuals with colds who continue exercise programs they may have started.

"If they exercise, will their colds get worse or go away sooner?" Weidner said. "Does exercise create protection in otherwise sedentary individuals?"

Weidner's previous studies, funded by the National Institutes of Health, have focused on individuals with moderate activity.

"We found no change in symptoms, severity and duration of colds when these people exercise," Weidner said. "But we suspect it may be different with sedentary groups since they're more susceptible to colds in the first place."

Weidner is working with Ball State student volunteers who have a cold two to three days old. Participants are screened to determine their physical activity level.

A physician from Central Indiana Sports Medicine also examines participants to determine the nature of their colds and to assure they are otherwise healthy. Weidner emphasized that the physician is on call 24 hours a day to monitor participants' health.

Participants are then divided into two groups. The first group is involved in 30 minutes of supervised moderate exercise. The other does not exercise at all. Participants report to the laboratory twice a day for seven consecutive days.

"We need to create the largest possible difference between the two groups," Weidner said.

Ball State's research on the effects of colds and exercise was the first using human subjects. Previous findings have been summarized in the New England Journal of Medicine's Health News newsletter and featured on "CBS This Morning" and NBC's "Dateline."

"This kind of research has never been done before," Weidner said. "Ball State is creating a track record as a research center for colds and exercise."

The study will continue through mid-November. Weidner said he expects to report findings by early 1999.

Students with colds interested in participating in the study can contact Weidner at (765) 285-5039.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about this story or how to reach the source, contact Anthony Barker at 765-285-1560 or tbarker@bsu.edu.)