Chapter 6: Health, Fitness and Well-Being

Benefits of physical health and well-being

• Improves heart function; more efficient in pumping blood around the body

• Improves efficiency of the body systems

• Reduces risk of some illnesses

• Helps to avoid obesity

Benefits of mental health and well-being

• Helps to reduce levels of stress, reduces physical tension that can lead to illness and injury

• Result in release of feel-good hormones like serotonin

• Can help to control your emotions better

Benefits of social health and well-being

• Provides opportunities to socialise and make friends

• Enables you to cooperate with other people

• Enables you to work collaboratively

Benefits of maintaining fitness

• Enables you to improve your level of fitness, helping you maintain physical, mental and social health and well-being

• Reduces chance of injury

• Ensure you are physically able to work

Consequences of a sedentary lifestyle

• Increased risk of developing poor sleeping patterns

• Increased risk of lethargy

• Increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries)

• Weight gain

• Increased risk of developing heart disease

Obese

People with high fat content cause by an imbalance in the number of calories consumed and the amount of energy expended

BMI Calculations

BMI = weight (kg) / (height in m x height in m)

Physical ill-health

• Increased risk of cancer, heart disease and heart attacks

• Increased risk of hypertension

• Type 2 diabetes

Mental ill-health

• Increased risk of depression

• Increase lost confidence and self-esteem

Social ill-health

• An increased risk of being unable to socialise, can lead to poor mental health

• Increased risk of being unable to leave home

Ectomorph

Tall and thin with narrow shoulders and hips

Endomorph

Pear-shaped body and a tendency towards fatness; wide hips and narrow shoulders

Mesomorph

Muscular appearance, wide shoulders and narrow hips

Balanced diet

55-60% carbs

25-30% fat

15-20% protein

Carbohydrates

Simple - sugars, including glucose, break down quickly and provide your body with immediate energy

Complex - starches, which are released slowly by your body and are less likely to be stored as fats

Fat

Saturated fat - solid at rtp, too much can increase risk of developing heart disease and obesity

Unsaturated fat - liquid at rtp, much healthier than saturated fat and plays a role in reducing risk of heart disease

Protein

Supports muscle growth and repair, protein rich foods after physical activity help your muscles to recover quickly

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins are organic and minerals are inorganic substances. Essentials for keeping the body’s systems working efficiently and for ensuring general health.