Physical Fitness & Health

What is Exercise Physiology?

• Definition: Field of study focused on the body's response to physical activity.

• Homeostasis: Exercise disrupts the body’s internal state of physiological balance.

• Areas of Study: Exercise physiologists analyze how physical activity impacts:

  • Cardiovascular system

  • Endocrine system (hormones)

  • Musculoskeletal system

  • Neuromuscular system

Leaders in Exercise Science

Hippocrates (460-370 BC)

• Regarded as the "father of preventive medicine."

Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839)

• Introduced gymnastics into Sweden’s school curriculum in 1820.

• Advocated for educational, military, and medical gymnastics.

Catharine Beecher (1800-1878)

• Promoted health education and exercise principles for women through calisthenics.

More Leaders in Exercise Science

Edward Hitchcock, Jr. (1828-1911)

• Emphasized the importance of anthropometry (study of body proportions) to prove exercise benefits.

Thomas K Cureton (1901-1992)

• Led research at the University of Illinois that improved exercise recommendations and developed fitness tests for various attributes.

• Known as the “Father of Physical Fitness.”

Additional Leaders

Per-Olof Åstrand (1922-2015) and Irma Rhyming (1926 - ????)

• Researched physical working capacity and developed the Astrand-Rhyming cycle ergometer test for estimating VO2 max.

Jonas Bergstrom and Eric Hultman

• Pioneered muscle biopsy techniques for muscle tissue analysis.

Per Scholander (1905-1980)

• Developed methods for analyzing CO2 and O2 in expired air.

Martti Karvonen, M.D. (1918-2009)

• Created the Karvonen formula for predicting optimal exercise training heart rate.

Current State of Exercise

• Recommendations for Healthy Adults (18-65 y/o):

  • 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.

  • Strength training at least twice a week.

• Statistics:

  • About 50% of Americans fall short of aerobic exercise recommendations.

  • Over 80% do not meet guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.

Current Trends in Physical Education

• PE Requirement in Schools:

  • 63% of elementary, 83.9% of middle, and 95.2% of high schools require PE education, but trends are changing.

• Impacts of PE on Academic Achievement:

  • Increased attendance, participation, and motivation in school, and improved test performance.

Responses to Exercise

Acute Responses

• Sudden onset, short duration effects:

  • Increased heart rate (HR)

  • Elevated blood pressure (BP)

  • Increased core temperature leading to sweating.

Chronic Responses

• Long-term effects:

  • Decreased resting heart rate and blood pressure

  • Improved heat tolerance.

Leading Causes of Death in the U.S.

• COVID-19 (2021):

  • 3,049 average daily deaths.

• Other causes include heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and diabetes.

• Notes: Stats sourced from KFF analysis and reflect varying data collection timelines within 2020-2021.

California's Causes of Death

• Leading causes similar to national trends: heart diseases, malignant neoplasms, Alzheimer's, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.

Changing Perspectives on Health Death Rates

• Life expectancy trends have improved, but chronic diseases persist.

  • Indicates better health management yet a growing prevalence of chronic illnesses.

Morbidity Trends

• Graphs reflect the increasing percentage of the population with chronic diseases from 1995 to projected numbers for 2030.

Global Activity Levels

• Displays daily step averages of various countries with the U.S. averaging 4,774 steps.

• Highlights the relationship between physical activity levels and health outcomes.

Major Modifiable Risk Factors for Disease

• Key Risk Factors:

  • Tobacco usage, obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and high cholesterol.

• Significant figures tie back to the likelihood of diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Definitions

Physical Activity

• Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure.

Exercise

• Planned, structured bodily movement with a goal of fitness improvement.

Physical Fitness

• Ability to conduct daily tasks without undue fatigue, defined by measurable attributes like:

  • Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, etc.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

• Formula: TDEE = BMR + TEF + PA

  • Variables include BMR (basal metabolic rate), TEF (thermic effect of food), and PA (physical activity).

Calculating Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

• Detailed steps to calculate individual metabolic rates, emphasizing oxygen consumption and caloric yield.

Physical Activity Guidelines (ACSM/CDC)

• Recommendations for adults include 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise five days a week or vigorous activity three times a week.

Classifications of Weekly Aerobic Exercise

• Ranges from inactive (no activity) to high (over 300 minutes), clarifying the health benefits accrued at each level.

Physical Activity and Chronic Disease

• Regular physical activity shows benefits such as improved body composition, blood pressure reduction, and better psychological well-being.

Physical Activity and Longevity

• Studies indicate that moderate exercise can extend life expectancy by 1.3 to 3.7 years in different demographic groups.

Exercise and the Aging Population

• Notable information on chronic conditions in older adults and the positive impacts of regular physical activity on mental health.