PE Unit 2 | Chapter 10

physical activity

Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure

exercise

A planned, structured and repetitive form of physical activity done to improve or maintain fitness.

sedentary behaviour

Activities that involve very low energy expenditure (≤1.5 METs) while sitting or lying down.

light physical activity

Activity requiring slightly more effort than resting but not enough to raise breathing much.

moderate physical activity

Activity that raises heart rate and breathing, but you can still talk comfortably

vigorous physical activity

Activity that significantly increases heart rate and breathing, making talking difficult.

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)

A measure used to estimate energy expenditure during physical activity compared to resting.

1 MET = energy used at rest

benefits of physical activity - phyiscal health

• Improves cardiovascular fitness

• Builds muscle and bone strength

• Helps maintain healthy body weight

• Reduces risk of chronic disease

benefits of physical activity - mental health

• Reduces stress

• Improves mood

• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression

• Improves self-esteem

benegits of physical health - social health

• Builds relationships

• Encourages teamwork

• Improves communication skills

• Creates social connection

Australian Physical Activity Guidelines (Ages 5–17)

Young people should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.

muscle and bone strengthening activities

Activities that build muscle strength and bone density.

Examples:

• Jumping

• Running

• Gymnastics

• Resistance training

Recommended at least 3 days per week.

sedentary behaviour guidelines for young people

Limit recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.

sleep recommendations for teenagers

Teenagers should get 8–10 hours of sleep per night for optimal health and development

health risks of too much sedentary behaviour

• Increased risk of obesity

• Poor cardiovascular health

• Reduced mental wellbeing

• Poor posture

factors influencing physical activity levels

Physical activity can be influenced by:

• Individual factors

• Social influences

• Environmental factors

individual influences on physical activity

Personal characteristics affecting activity levels.

Examples:

• Motivation

• Confidence

• Skills

• Age

social influences on physical behaviour

How people around us affect participation.

Examples:

• Family support

• Friends

• Cultural expectations

• School environment

environmental influences on physical activity

Physical surroundings that affect activity.

Examples:

• Access to parks

• Sports facilities

• Safe walking paths

• Weather

strategies to increase physical activity

• Active transport (walking/biking)

• School sport programs

• Community sport clubs

• Reducing screen time

consequences of physical inactivity

• Higher risk of chronic diseases

• Reduced fitness

• Poor mental health

• Lower quality of life

good health requires

Good health requires a balance of movement, limited sedentary time, and adequate sleep.

why many australian teens dont meet activity guidelines

Common reasons include:

• Increased screen time

• Academic pressure

• Reduced outdoor play

• Lack of motivation

long term inportance of active lifestyles

Being active in youth increases the likelihood of remaining active as an adult, improving long-term health.

self-proxy measures of physical activity

Methods where participants record or recall their own physical activity.

Examples:

• Recall surveys

• Questionnaires

• Diaries or activity logs

proxy report

When someone else reports physical activity on behalf of another person.

Example:
Parents reporting a child’s activity levels.

direct observation

A method where researchers watch and record physical activity behaviours.

Often used in schools, parks or playgrounds.

objective measures of physical activity

Methods that measure physical activity using devices rather than self-report.

Examples:

• Pedometers

• Accelerometers

• Wearable technologies

wearable technology

Devices worn on the body that use sensors and software to track and record physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

They often sync to smartphones or computers.

types of wearable technologies include

Common wearables include:

• Pedometers

• Fitness trackers

• GPS watches

• Smart watches

• Standalone heart rate monitors

functions of wearable devices

Wearables can track:

• Steps taken

• Heart rate

• Distance travelled

• Energy expenditure

• Sedentary time

• Sleep patterns

accelerometer

A sensor commonly found in wearables that measures movement in different directions to estimate physical activity intensity.

inclinometer

A device that detects body position, allowing it to distinguish between:

• Sitting

• Standing

• Lying down

Used to assess sedentary behaviour.

advantages of wearable technology

• Non-invasive and easy to wear

• Provides continuous data collection

• Can estimate energy expenditure

• Automatically records physical activity

limitations of wearble technology

• Accuracy and validity may vary

• Can be expensive

• May not correctly detect all activities

• Cannot provide context (what activity is being done)

pedometer

A device that counts steps by detecting movement of the hips or body.

Often used to estimate walking activity.

advantages of pedometers

• Inexpensive

• Easy to use

• Motivates people to increase daily steps

• Simple measure of physical activity

limitations of pedometers

• Only measure steps

• Cannot measure intensity of activity

• Less accurate for some movements (e.g., cycling)

assessing sedentary behaviour

Common methods include:

• Diaries or logs

• Wearables with accelerometers or inclinometers

• Recall surveys

• Direct observation

limitation of wearables or sedentary behaviour

Wearables can detect low movement, but cannot identify the context of sedentary behaviour (e.g., studying vs watching TV).

why researchers use multiple methods when measuring PA

Researchers often combine objective and self-report measures because:

• Devices provide accurate movement data

• Self-reports provide context and activity type

Using both improves accuracy.