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LEARNING OUTCOMES
Define physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness.
Describe the major categories of physical fitness that contribute to total daily energy expenditure.
Differentiate among the components of health-related physical fitness and skill-related physical fitness.
Describe the impact of participation in regular physical activity on public health.
Explain the dose-response relationship of physical activity and health status.
List general physical activity guidelines for improving health.
Describe the general physiological mechanisms by which physical activity positively impacts health.
Explain the effect of increasing rates of obesity on public health.
Describe the relationship between physical activity and longevity.
Explain how older adults can use physical activity as a means for reducing the risk for chronic disease and improving quality of life.
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ANCILLARY LINK
Visit DavisPlus at http://davisplus.fadavis.com for study and practice resources, including online quizzes, animations that help explain physiological processes, podcasts concerning news and career trends in exercise physiology, and practice references.
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VIGNETTE
Vince is a 50-year-old news journalist who travels at least 3 weeks a month and works long, unpredictable hours. He has gained approximately 50 pounds since he was in his 30s and often complains of stiff, aching joints and chronic low-back pain. Because of his joint ailments, Vince visited his physician to explore therapies for the treatment of pain. The physician advised Vince to take over-the-counter pain relievers to ease his joint pain, and more importantly, to address the root of the problem-excess body weight. The physician notified Vince that his weight placed him in the obese category and that his blood pressure was elevated. She recommended a weight-management program that included increased daily physical activity.
How can incorporating more habitual physical activity into Vince's daily life help him manage his weight?
Since his physician's recommendation last month to become more physically active, Vince has committed to incorporating more physical activity during his frequent travel. This includes walking laps around airport terminals while he waits to board his airplane (9 days per month, total). When he stays in hotels, Vince takes the stairs instead of using elevators, and he always handles his luggage himself. Essentially, Vince is incorporating more physical activity into his lifestyle, and he has noticed that he has more energy throughout the day when he is active. On the days that Vince is not active, he feels lethargic and emotionally depressed. Spurred into action from these negative feelings, Vince decides that he wants to incorporate more physical activity into his schedule each day, instead of only when he travels.
After successfully increasing his daily physical activity by walking and taking the stairs more often, Vince has not noticed much of a weight change. In addition, his joints are still painful and his lower back still gives him trouble. Vince realizes that he would be better off following a schedule of planned exercise to help him in his weight-loss efforts, in addition to ...