Physical Activity in Health and Disease Lecture Review

40 Vocabulary flashcards covering physical activity concepts, disease prevention, epidemiological terms, and health models as presented in NUTR 405.

Public Health

The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals.

Sedentary Behavior

Any waking behavior characterized by an energy expenditure of $\le 1.5\,METs$ while sitting, reclining, or lying.

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)

A unit used to express the energy cost of physical activity as a multiple of resting metabolism, where $1\,MET$ is defined as the oxygen consumption at rest.

VO2max

The maximum volume of oxygen a person can utilize per minute, typically measured in $mL/kg/min$.

HRR (Heart Rate Reserve)

The difference between a person's maximum heart rate ($HRmax$) and their resting heart rate.

1-Repetition Maximum (1RM)

A test used to determine the maximum amount of weight a person can lift for one repetition, used to set intensity for strength ($80-90\%\,1RM$), hypertrophy ($60-75\%\,1RM$), or endurance ($50-60\%\,1RM$).

Descriptive Epidemiology

The study of the distribution of disease, often focused on prevalence.

Analytical Epidemiology

The study of the determinants of disease incidence used to characterize risk factors.

Confounder

A variable that is related to both the exposure (risk factor) and the outcome (disease), potentially distorting the perceived relationship between them.

Physical Activity Domains

The four specific reasons or settings where physical activity takes place: Leisure-Time (LTPA), Domestic/Household, Occupational/Work, and Transport-based.

Reactivity

A form of bias where an individual modifies their habitual behavior because they are aware they are being measured or observed.

Recall Bias

A form of measurement bias resulting from the inability to accurately recall activities or the selective recall of only certain activities.

Social Desirability Bias

Responding to questions based on what the participant feels others or the interviewer expect to be right or good.

MET-hours/week

A metric used to quantify total physical activity volume by multiplying the MET value of an activity by the number of hours performed per week.

Dose-Response of Physical Activity

The amount of physical activity and/or exercise training needed to achieve specific health, fitness, or performance goals.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

A class of diseases involving the heart or blood vessels, usually referring to narrowed or blocked vessels leading to heart attack, angina, or stroke.

Metabolic Syndrome

A cluster of clinical characteristics whose primary outcomes are type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Post-Exercise Hypotension (PEH)

A phenomenon where blood pressure decreases immediately following acute exercise, persisting for up to $24\,h$ after the session.

Stroke Volume (SV)

The volume of blood expelled by each ventricle of the heart upon contraction, measured in $ml/min$.

Cardiac Output (CO)

The total volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated as $HR \times SV = CO$.

Muscular Strength

The amount of external force that a muscle or muscle group can exert.

Muscular Endurance

The ability of muscle groups to exert force for many repetitions or successive exertions.

Osteoporosis

A bone disease characterized by weak and fragile bones, which increases the risk of fractures.

Principle of Specificity

The training principle stating that the body adapts specifically to the type of training performed, including muscle pattern, muscle group, and energy system.

Reliability

The extent to which the same values are dependably obtained when a measurement is repeated.

Precision

The degree to which repeated measurements are close to each other.

Brain Health

A term encompassing behavioral and biological aspects of the brain, including mental health, subjective well-being, and physical/chemical reactions.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

A calculated measure of weight relative to height, where obesity is defined as a measurement of $\ge 30\,kg/m^2$.

Clinical Obesity (2025 Definition)

A classification of obesity characterized specifically by organ dysfunction due to excess fat.

Energy Balance Equation

The relationship between energy intake (caloric intake) and caloric expenditure or storage.

Cancer Survivor

Any person with a history of cancer, from the moment of diagnosis through treatment and recovery.

Multimorbidity

The presence of two or more chronic conditions in a single individual.

Polypharmacy

The technical use of multiple medications by an individual, typically defined as taking $5$ or more medications daily.

Functional Ability

The capacity to perform a task, activity, or behavior independently.

Sarcopenia

A musculoskeletal disease defined by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function.

Frailty

A multi-system syndrome characterized by increased vulnerability to stressors, defined by criteria like low grip strength, slow walking speed, and low energy.

Transtheoretical Model (TTM)

A behavioral theory that explains change as a process unfolding through five stages: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance.

COM-B Model

A framework stating that behavior (B) occurs when Capability (C), Opportunity (O), and Motivation (M) are all present.

Walkability

A combination of built environment features—connectivity, land-use mix, and residential density—that are conducive to walking for transportation.

Advocacy for Health

A combination of individual and social actions designed to gain political commitment, policy support, and systems support for a specific health goal.