Unit 2: Physical Activity, Sport and Society

Vocabulary flashcards detailing key concepts from Unit 2: physical activity forms, domains, dimensions, national guidelines, health benefits, inactivity risks, and exercise physiology energy systems.

Incidental physical activity

Unstructured activity accrued throughout the day that results in higher energy expenditure than being at rest, including household chores, gardening, active transport, and play.

Active transport

Any form of human-powered transportation used to travel to and from specific destinations (e.g., walking to the train station or riding a bicycle to school), expending more energy than sedentary travel.

Occupational activity

Physical activity completed as part of a person's job that results in significantly higher energy expenditure than desk-bound work, such as carrying bricks on a building site.

Play

Activity undertaken for fun without formal rules, set playing time, or defined playing areas, free from pressure and accessible to anyone.

Exercise

Planned and structured physical activity requiring physical effort designed to sustain or improve health and physical fitness, repeated as part of a regular weekly routine.

Recreation and leisure

Recreational activities are those that stimulate the mind and body (e.g., dance, hobbies, games), whereas leisure activities are intended to be restful.

Organised sport

A structured physical activity providing active diversion that involves bodily exertion, structured competition, specialized skills, set rules, vigorous physical activity, and training.

Inactivity

Undertaking insufficient physical activity to achieve measurable health outcomes, characterized by a lack of regular physical activity beyond daily tasks or insufficient moderate-intensity activity.

Sedentary behaviour

Time spent sitting or lying down engaged in non-active pursuits requiring an energy expenditure of up to $1.5\text{ METs}$, such as watching television, playing electronic games, or reading.

Metabolic Equivalent (MET)

The amount of oxygen consumed while sitting at rest ($1\text{ MET}$); used to quantify activity intensities as multiples of resting oxygen consumption.

Leisure time activity domain

Physical activity performed during non-working spare time over and above workplace activities, where an individual has the freedom to choose an enjoyable activity.

Household/gardening domain

Chores carried out around the home and garden that provide strength, flexibility, balance, and muscular endurance, serving as an essential activity source especially for older adults.

Occupational domain

Physical activity performed regularly as a normal part of one's employment or trade, common among gardeners, cleaners, physical education teachers, and personal trainers.

Active transport domain

The physical activity domain concerning human-powered travel to reach specific destinations, offering personal health benefits while reducing traffic congestion and emissions.

Frequency (FITT)

The dimension of physical activity describing how often a person exercises, measured as the number of activity bouts or sessions completed within a designated timeframe.

Intensity (FITT)

The dimension of physical activity describing how hard an individual works or how much effort is required, classified as sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, or high.

Time (FITT)

The duration of physical activity, representing how long an individual is active during a given period or bout (with a recommended minimum of $10\text{ minutes}$ at a time).

Type (FITT)

The specific category of physical activity performed, such as lifestyle activities, active aerobic exercises, active sports and recreation, flexibility, or strength and muscular endurance work.

PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire)

A screening assessment used to determine if an individual is injury-free and physically prepared to participate safely in exercise programs suited to their fitness level.

Physical benefits of physical activity

Improvements related to the efficient functioning of body systems, physical task capacity, and physical fitness (e.g., regulated body weight, reduced illness, higher energy levels).

Social benefits of physical activity

Improvements in an individual's ability to interact with others and participate in the community cooperatively and independently, developing friendship networks and group bonds.

Mental health

A state of wellbeing wherein an individual realizes their own abilities, copes with normal life stresses, works productively, and contributes to their community.

Emotional wellbeing

A positive state that enables an individual to function effectively in society and manage daily demands through the self-control of thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Type 2 diabetes

A metabolic disease characterized by excessive blood sugar resulting from the body's inability to properly produce or utilize insulin, closely linked to inactivity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness.

Insulin

A hormone synthesized by the pancreas that allows the body to convert blood sugar and other nutritional substances into usable energy.

Obesity

An abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat that impairs health, influenced by factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, genetics, and other medical conditions.

Hypertension

Persistently raised blood pressure in the arteries, requiring the heart to work harder to circulate blood throughout the body.

Cholesterol

A waxy, fat-like substance produced in the liver and found in body cells, essential for constructing cell walls, hormones, tissues, vitamin D, and bile acids.

Youth physical activity guidelines ($13\text{--}17\text{ years}$)

Accumulate at least $60\text{ minutes}$ of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily (including aerobic activities) and muscle/bone strengthening activities at least $3\text{ days per week}$.

Youth screen use guidelines ($13\text{--}17\text{ years}$)

Limit entertainment-based electronic media use (e.g., television, computer use, seated electronic games) to no more than $2\text{ hours}$ per day, breaking up prolonged sitting often.

Adult physical activity guidelines ($18\text{--}64\text{ years}$)

Accumulate $150\text{ to }300\text{ minutes}$ of moderate or $75\text{ to }150\text{ minutes}$ of vigorous activity weekly (or combination), plus muscle-strengthening on at least $2\text{ days per week}$.

Subjective measures of physical activity

Methods of assessing physical activity based on self-reported recollection or observation diaries, such as self-reports, proxy reports, recall instruments, and physical activity logs.

Objective measures of physical activity

Direct, data-driven tools used to quantify physical activity without relying on personal memory, including direct observation, pedometers, accelerometers, and smartwatches.

The 4 P's

Four key external influences on physical activity participation: Peers, Parents, Price, and Positive.

Setting-based approach

A framework targeting specific environments where people congregate—such as schools, workplaces, and communities—to help them identify and adopt opportunities to be active.

ATP - PC System

An anaerobic energy pathway fueled by creatine phosphate (CP) lasting $0\text{--}10\text{ seconds}$ at very high intensity ($95\%\text{ MHR}$), having a very fast rate, very low yield, and producing inorganic phosphate.

Anaerobic Glycolysis System

An anaerobic energy pathway fueled by glycogen lasting $10\text{--}50\text{ seconds}$ at high intensity ($85\%\text{--}95\%\text{ MHR}$), having a fast rate, low yield, and producing lactate and fatigue-causing $\text{H}^{+}$ ions.

Aerobic Energy System

An oxygen-dependent energy system fueled by glycogen for activities lasting $60+\text{ seconds}$ at medium intensity ($65\%\text{--}85\%\text{ MHR}$), having a slow rate, high yield, and producing heat, $\text{CO}_2$, and $\text{H}_2\text{O}$.

Acute responses to exercise

Immediate physiological adjustments that occur at the onset of exercise, including increases in heart rate, stroke volume, respiratory rate, tidal volume, and oxygen uptake.