PE Unit 2 Aos 1

Understanding Physical Activity: Types, Benefits, and Trends

Physical activity

Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.

Structured physical activity

Planned activities such as participating in organised sport

Incidental physical activity

Unstructured activity taken throughout the course of the day

Domain of physical activity

A context or setting where physical activity takes place

there are 4 domains: leisure time

household/gardening

Leisure-time activity domain

Activities chosen for enjoyment

Household/gardening domain

Includes activities such as tidying up

Occupational/work domain

Activities performed in jobs such as labourers

Active transport domain

Human-powered transportation used to get to and from specific destinations

Physical inactivity

Undertaking insufficient physical activity to achieve measurable health outcomes.

Sedentary behaviour

The amount of time per day spent sitting or lying down engaged in non-active activities

Lifestyle physical activity

Activities incorporated into daily life that contribute to overall physical activity levels.

Physical Activity Pyramid

A guideline indicating that Level 1 activities should be performed daily while Level 4 activities should be minimised.

Physical benefits of activity

Includes improved strength and endurance

Social benefits of activity

Includes playing in a team

Mental health benefits of activity

Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety

Emotional health benefits

Helps maintain calm under pressure

Spiritual benefits of activity

Involves finding meaning and purpose in life

Endorphins

Chemicals produced in the body that help relieve pain and induce feelings of pleasure.

Core Body Temperature

The temperature of the body's internal environment

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Emotional Regulation

The ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences in a healthy way.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Axis

A complex set of interactions among the hypothalamus

Self-Esteem

An individual's subjective evaluation of their own worth.

Anxiety Disorders

Mental health disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear.

Major Depressive Disorder

A mood disorder causing persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest.

Sociocultural Enablers

Factors that influence people to participate in a range of physical activities.

Barriers to Physical Activity

Factors that stop or inhibit someone's participation in physical activity.

Gender Differences in Activity

Males are generally more active than females

Socio-Economic Status (SES)

A social standing or class of an individual or group

Family Support

The assistance and encouragement provided by family members to engage in physical activities.

Peer Support

Encouragement and motivation received from friends or peers to participate in physical activities.

Cultural Factors

Characteristics and beliefs shared by a group that influence participation in physical activities.

Indigenous Australians

The original inhabitants of Australia

Community Environmental Factors

Elements in the community that affect the availability and safety of engaging in physical activities.

Built Environments

Human-made structures and facilities that can influence physical activity

Natural Environments

Natural settings like beaches

Built environment

Natural and human made features that enable us to be active.

Prevalence and trends

Observations regarding the frequency and patterns of physical activity and inactivity.

Sedentary behaviours

Activities that are inactive

Cyclical pattern

A trend that shows fluctuations over time

Health risks of inactivity

Significant risks to health and well-being being physically inactive and or sedentary.

Heart disease

A condition where the body deposits fatty substances along the walls of blood vessels

Type 2 diabetes

A condition resulting from stress on the pancreas through sustained high levels of glucose in the blood

Demographic barriers

Barriers to physical activity that relate to the characteristics of a population

Sociocultural barriers

Barriers to physical activity influenced by social and cultural factors.

Infrastructure

The basic physical systems of a community

Weather

Environmental conditions that can influence participation in physical activity.

Trails

Paths designed for walking

Parks

Public green spaces that provide opportunities for physical activity.

Playgrounds

Designated areas for children to play that encourage physical activity.

Transportation

Means of moving from one place to another that can facilitate physical activity.

Aesthetic activity spaces

Visually pleasing environments that are safe and encourage physical activity.

Circumstances

Situational factors that can influence an individual's ability to engage in physical activity.

Roles

The responsibilities or positions individuals hold that can affect their physical activity levels.

Support networks

Groups of people that provide assistance and encouragement for engaging in physical activity.

COVID lockdown

A period during which restrictions were placed on movement

Post pandemic screen use

The percentage of time young people use screens for recreation after the pandemic

150 minutes of physical activity

The recommended amount of physical activity that most age groups achieved in the week prior to the survey.

Bias

Untruthful data that can affect the accuracy of physical activity reporting.

High glucose in the blood

Can cause tissue damage

Overweight and obesity

Lead to a number of health conditions including high blood pressure

Energy mismatch

Occurs when there is a discrepancy between energy intake and output.

Sitting is the new smoking

Puts pressure on nerves and muscles

Inactivity

A significant public health issue and the second leading cause of death

WHO Guidelines

Outline how much physical activity we should do

Purpose of Measuring Physical Activity

To determine whether an individual

Cardiovascular fitness

An indicator of physical activity

Measurement Instruments

Choice of assessment method depends on the purpose of the measurement.

FITT

Acronym used in measuring the dimensions of physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

Metabolic Equivalent (MET)

Used to determine the energy expenditure associated with a particular physical activity.

Domains of physical activity

Include household and gardening

Physical activity intensity classifications

Sedentary

Practicality vs Accuracy Trade-Off

There is a trade-off between the practicality and accuracy of measurement options for assessing physical activity.

Subjective Measures

Assessment of physical activity that relies on a person recalling which activities they participated in and their perception of intensity.

Recall Surveys

Require respondents to remember which physical activity they participated in during the previous week

Diaries

Provide a detailed record of individual physical activity undertaken in a given day

Self Report

Individual reporting on their own physical activity

Proxy Report

Reporting on behalf of someone else

Social desirability bias

Describing what you believe is the desired response rather than actual behavior.