Increasing Physical Activity

Question 1

Physical Activity

Answer 1

Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.

Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work.

Question 2

Types of physical activity

Answer 2

Moderate
Vigorous intensity

Both types of physical activity improve health

Question 3

Exercise

Answer 3

A subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive and purposeful in the sense that the improvement or maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness is the objective.

Question 4

What do exercise and exercise training refer to ?

Answer 4

Physical activity performed during leisure time with the primary purpose of improving or maintaining physical fitness, physical performance, or health.

Question 5

Physical Fitness

Answer 5

A measure of the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities.

This includes for example:
- Physical fitness
- Cardiorespiratory fitness

Question 6

What makes physical fitness ?

Answer 6

Physical activity
- occupational activities
- household chores
- everyday activities

+

Exercise

Question 7

Benefits of physical activity

Answer 7

Reduces the risk of:

• Depression by up to 30%
• Type 2 diabetes by up to 40%
• Dementia by up to 30%
• All-cause mortality by 30%

Breast and Colon cancer
Hip fracture

Question 8

Relationship between physical activity with common medical conditions

Answer 8

Reduces risk of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• COPD, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis
• Cancer
• Dementia
• Mental health: anxiety, depression, stress
• Falls prevention

Question 9

Cardiovascular disease and Exercise

Answer 9

Increased exercise reduces the hazard risk for CVD mortality substantially

Question 10

Depression and Exercise

Answer 10

Exercise has a moderate to large anti-depressant effect.

NICE advises instead of offering anti-depressant drugs as a 1st line of treatment to offer CBT, exercise, counselling to psychotherapy as 1st line treatment.

Question 11

Cancer and Physical Activity

Answer 11

Participating in the recommended PA leads to reduction in colon, breast, endometrial, kidney, myeloma, liver and non-hodgkins lymphoma.

Question 12

COVID and physical activity

Answer 12

Physical activity leads to:

• Reduced risk of hospitalisation and death
• Enhanced immune response

Question 13

What are the recommended physical activity levels in the UK ?

Answer 13

UK CMO Guidance for adults aged 18-64

150 minutes of ‘moderate intensity exercise’ or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, or a combination.

Muscle strengthening activities on 2 days per week

Minimise the amount of time being sedentary

Question 14

Know recommended minimum physical activity guidelines: Age 1-2

Answer 14

At least 3 hours per day in a variety of physical activities

Question 15

Know recommended minimum physical activity guidelines: Age 3-4

Answer 15

At least 3 hours per day, a variety of physical activities.

60 minutes of this should be moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Question 16

Know recommended minimum physical activity guidelines: Age 5-18

Answer 16

Moderate-Vigorous activity should average at least 1 hour per day across the week.

Question 17

Know recommended minimum physical activity guidelines: Age 65+

Answer 17

150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week.

Exercise for strength, balance, flexibility twice a week.

Question 18

Moderate exercise

Answer 18

‘Walkie talkie test’

If you can still talk when walking briskly, but you can’t sing the words to a song.

Question 19

Vigorous activity

Answer 19

If you’re struggling to say more than a few words between breaths.

Question 20

Be aware of the current physical activity levels in the UK population

Answer 20

Around:

• 1 in 3 (34%) of men
• 1 in 2 (42%) of women

Are NOT active enough for good health

Question 21

What % of the UK adult population meet the active guidelines ?

Answer 21

66% of adults are considered to be ‘active’ according to government guidelines.

Question 22

When might behaviours related to physical activity become harmful ?

Answer 22

• Eating disorders
• Excessive exercise
• Body Image + Body Satisfaction
• Anabolic Steroid use in weightlifters and bodybuilders

Question 23

Discuss ways of introducing the topic of physical activity to patients

Answer 23

Explore with patients what current physical activity levels are like, and how they feel about physical activity/ exercise.

Help them to identify what they would enjoy doing - reframe exercise

Stress that small changes can have big impacts, so aim to start small

Question 24

What can you do to discuss physical activity with patients ?

Answer 24

Ask - Identify activity levels
Assess - Discover the patients ideas and perspective
Advise - Plan and Set goals

Question 25

Does introducing the topic of physical activity with patients work ?

Answer 25

1 in 4 people would be more active if advised by a healthcare professional

~ Physical Activity: All Our Health Report

Question 26

Barriers in discussing physical activity

Answer 26

Time
Fear of ‘preaching’

Lack of knowledge
Lack of skills

Question 27

Solution to Time being a barrier in discussing physical activity

Answer 27

Even brief interventions are helpful, signposting, social prescribing

Question 28

Solution to fear of ‘preaching’ being a barrier in discussing physical activity

Answer 28

Communication skills

Explore Ideas, Concerns and Expectations

Make it personalised

Question 29

Solution to lack of knowledge being a barrier in discussing physical activity

Answer 29

Local Areas
Support Groups

Question 30

Solution to lack of skills being a barrier in discussing physical activity

Answer 30

Communication skills

Neurolinguistic programming

Motivational interviewing techniques

Health coaching

Question 31

TUG

Answer 31

Timed up and go

Stand up
Walk 3m
Spin around
Walk back and sit down

Question 32

When is TUG used ?

Answer 32

Test in elderly care setting to help determine falls risk.

> 13.5 seconds indicates possible higher risk of falls

Question 33

Social prescribing

Answer 33

Healthcare professionals directing patients to local, non-clinical services to promote well-being and manage both physical and mental health problems.

e.g. Walking groups, Dance groups

Question 34

Current UK guidelines for adults physical activity

Answer 34

150 minutes per week

Question 35

Promoting physical activity to patients

Answer 35

Some is good, more is better

Make a start today, its nerve too late

Every minute counts