Physical Activity Epidemiology

The significance for this research project is that it will provide relevant and up to date data of the current levels of physical activity within Australian adults. This project will deliver an in-depth analysis of the frequency, quantity, duration, and variety of physical activity among Australians. It will also provide information about what factors are promoting a healthy lifestyle and what barriers are preventing adults from achieving the recommended weekly levels of physical activity. The research will address:

A person’s level of physical activity is directly related to their physical literacy making it an extremely important topic. Canada’s Active for Life Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model studies a variety of factors regarding the physical activity levels of Canadians. The topics that are studied include, the relationship between physical literacy and exercise behavior and adherence, developmental age, sensitive periods, mental, cognitive, and emotional development, competition, system alignment and integration, and continuous improvement. There are many other resources for finding information regarding people’s physical activity levels, including Statistics Canada; this source has an array of figures, from the annual census, regarding the populations of specific areas. For example, the Moncton, New Brunswick, 2016 census can be used to determine exercise behavior and adherence among local residents by using the figures presented along with other statistics from sources such as Weinberg and Gould’s book Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology.

One thousand, four hundred forty–this is the number minutes everyone is given to spend as they so choose each day. Some may wonder how best to spend this time to not only fulfill God-given purposes but also to ensure a long healthy life that can be enjoyed with loved ones. Most people realize the importance of eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and drinking plenty of water to be healthy. However, when it comes to exercise, opinions vary on what is best. Many doctors urge patients to simply walk more, however, an equivalent amount of time spent performing some form of resistance training versus walking may be the superior choice. Resistance (or strength) training improves a person’s overall health, enhances their quality of life, and can increase life expectancy.

The decline of jobs involving high intensity manual labor, the the rise of internet, computer, and T.V. access means that we are more sedentary than in the past. Engaging in physical activity prevents and alleviated many common disorders and diseases such as: obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression, and type 2 diabetes. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get 2 and a half hours of moderate exercise during a week (CDC, 2008). In the past, few years several companies have produced smart devices to help monitor and motivate physical activity.

Heath hazards affect the physical aspect of wellbeing; this can mean minute or severe damage with implications of cuts to disability. Nevertheless, J block presents many issues of jeopardy on a daily basis. However, the worst injuries suffered by the school community are during Wednesday. This is because students are rapidly moving towards the venue of their sport and may trip resulting in painful cuts along with substantial bruising or possibly fractures to the body. Attempting to play sport with these injuries would create unfavourable pain. Consequentially, the student’s ability to walk will be affected and they will be forced to not participate in sport and in extreme cases injuries from falling may result in chronic disability. In order

Regarding the BRFSS data and websites, I picked to view the data about Iowan’s exercise under the category of physical activity. The latest year they have data for is 2014. The way that BRFSS collects their data is a “telephone survey that provides ongoing data on major behavioral risk factors among American adults, with an emphasis on state-level surveillance. Currently data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Palau, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Guam.”("Surveillance Systems | Physical Activity | CDC", 2016) BRFSS call people every month and record data from a certain survey they give.

Cultural identity and physical activity have changed a lot over time. This is due to some factors such as advances in technology and changes in media. All of these factors have contributed to the changes in physical activity.

The type of epidemiology used for this topic is descriptive because, as Stanhope (2012) stated, “Epidemiologists investigate the distribution or patterns of health events in populations in order to characterize health outcomes in terms of what, who, where, when, how, and why: What is the outcome? Who is affected? Where are they? When do events occur? This focus is called descriptive epidemiology, because it seeks to describe the occurrence of a disease in terms of person, place, and time” (p. 282). This type of epidemiology is used to determine the extent of diabetes and how the rapidly growing population of Mexican-Americans will impact the economy and the future of healthcare. The person includes the risk factors, education, occupation, ethnicity, diet and exercise. The place is where the population is, the density, economic development along with nutritional, and medical practices. Time is, since the event took place, age, and cycles or trends that might affect the disease process.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that less than half of American adults get the recommended amount of physical activity, as defined by the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines established by the US Department of Health and Human Services (Centers for Disease Control, 2013). In addition, the American Heart Association reports that the 2011 National Health Interview Survey showed 32% of adults in the United States did not participate in leisure time activity, and only 21% of adults in the United States participate in adequate amounts of both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity (American Heart Association, 2013).

In Chapter one of our text, Introduction to Kinesiology the Science of Human Physical Activity by Stephan Wallace. We are introduced to three major types of movement, Sportive movement, symbolic movement, and supportive movement. At the basis of all three movements they are very similar although they highlight different attributes of an athlete or a person living an everyday lifestyle.

In recent years, companies have attempted to create the perfect fitness tool to assist individuals in tracking their diet and exercise habits. From wristbands to iPhone applications, corporations have created multiple ways to track and encourage healthy lifestyle habits. Although the majority of individuals find these tools beneficial, there are some who are concerned the use of these fitness tools can lead to obsessive and potentially harmful behavior. In a recent blog, Andria Martin discussed how the use of a Fitbit Flex triggered a relapse in her eating disorder. Andria concludedd the Fitbit Flex was ultimately detrimental to her health. Although the Fitbit Flex could lead to obsessive unhealthy behaviors, if used in moderation these fitness tools could be very beneficial for individuals who need motivation to stay on task in their health goals.

The news segment The Quantified Self from PBS, September 2013 touches a topic regarding people that self-quantify. Self-quantifiers are tracking data about their health constantly. 41 year old Bob Troia, CEO for a marketing firm in Brooklyn, sleeps with a gadget on his head that shows detailed information about his sleep. When Bob wakes up he uses different devices to check his pulse, weight and blood pressure. He is monitored by his devices throughout the day. He started self-quantifying when he turned 40, that is when he realized that he needed to start looking ahead, and take better care of his health. 60% of Americans track their data and millions use technological devices for tracking. With the recent inflation of trackers, the wearable

Why the study is being conducted: Mobile technology has become ubiquitous making it the ideal platform to promote healthy lifestyles. The Performance Triad is a comprehensive plan that focuses on promoting better sleep, activity, and nutrition habits. The Performance Triad addresses the lifestyle choices made in the Lifespace, the time that is not spent with a healthcare provider. The Lifespace is where healthy habits can be maintained or improved and where people need information, education, and support. The integration of the Performance Triad with mobile technology will allow healthcare providers to reinforce healthy habits beyond the 100 minutes the average Soldier spends in a healthcare setting.

For instance, areas with safety concerns can discourage physical activity while areas with good pedestal connection can encourage more walking and bicycling for transportation. In terms of choice of food, poor and minority communities may not have equal access to the variety of healthy food choices available when compared to wealthy communities. (K. Morland, S. Wing, A. Diez-Roux, C. Poole, 2002) The built environment consist of urban design factors, land use, and available public transportation for a region, as well as the available activity options for people within that space (S.L. Handy, M.G. Boarnet, R. Ewing, R.E. Killingsworth, 2002). Promoting physical activity is of public health importance because of its health benefits. According to Bize, Johnson, Plotnikoff (2007), physical inactivity is associated with increased risks of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. However, interest to participate in

The following is a case study analysis on Case 8:10 Health Risk and Sport Participation. This particular case involves five individuals, all of which are employed and or playing for the athletic department at BTU University. One of the individuals in this case is star BTU football linebacker A.B. Another individual is BTU Head Football Coach J.M. In addition to A.B and J.M, the other individuals associated with this particular case are the head football trainer, the team physician for the football team as well as the Director of Athletics for BTU N.P. This particular case all revolves around star linebacker A.B who recently established a record for most tackles in a single season (Malloy, 2003, pp. 160).