Physical Activity

Question 1

Types?

Define Physical Activity

Answer 1

Encompasses all movement creating energy expenditure
- ADL: activities of daily living (Essential - walking, mowing the lawn, brushing teeth)
- LTPA: leisure time physical activity (Non-essential - gardening, sport)
- Occupation (firefighting, construction, paramedics, movers)

Question 2

Exercise

Answer 2

Subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive with the intention of improving physical fitness
- fits into leisure time
- two main types: health related & performance related fitness

Question 3

Fitness Industry Origins

Answer 3

• fitness movement 70s-80s included running, aerobics, and body building (gender specific)
• focused on appearance as opposed to health

Question 4

Health-related fitness should include?

Answer 4

Power and Balance
- balance becomes an issue as population ages
- power refers to strength (force) over time

Question 5

True or False: Phsyical activity provides no health benefits

Answer 5

False
- physical activity can improve both your physical and mental health

Question 6

Amount of physical activity you need to see health vs fitness improvements

Answer 6

Quantity and intensity of physical activity needed to promote health is less than that needed to maintain/improve fitness

• greater threshold of exercise quantity, volume, intensity that we need to cross to get more fit compared to becoming healthy

Question 7

Dose-Response Curve

Answer 7

Dose - physical exercise
Response - what happens in our body

• Dose of physical activity directly related to response for certain benefits
• Higher energy expenditure, better health outcomes (more likely to have all the benefits)

Question 8

What are dose changes based on?

Answer 8

Baseline fitness levels (starting point)
eg. an unfit person who has been sedentary has a greater “window of opportunity” for achieving benefits at a lower intensity
starting at higher level means lower window of opportunity

• linked to tolerance of physical activity
• we all have a “ceiling” or upper level beyond which adding PA only has marginal benefits

Question 9

Physical activity based on geographical location

Answer 9

Physical activity participation is going to increase when:
- there are factors that encourage physical activity (built environments, natural environment, infrastructure)
- higher education, income, and socieoeconomic status (access to health guidelines, resources, and time availability)

Question 10

True or False: Not being active elevates the risk of disease and government costs

Answer 10

True

Question 11

Costs of physical inactivity

Answer 11

Direct costs - treatment, hospitalizations, equipment, doctors salaries
Indirect costs - loss of economic productivity (absenteeism)

Question 12

Economic benefits of increasing physical activity in populations

Answer 12

• reduce health care spending (costs allocated to other areas such as childcare and education)
• economic growth

Question 13

True or False: As we get older, physical activity decreases

Answer 13

True

Question 14

True or False: Children are the most inactive

Answer 14

False

Question 15

True or False: Boys are twice as likely as girls to meet physical activity guidelines

Answer 15

True

Question 16

Screen time and sleep trends

Answer 16

Recreational screen time is increasing in children and pre-teens

Children and pre-teens are meeting the national sleep requirements

Question 17

Why are adults not meeting national physical activity guidelines?

Answer 17

Time Restraints
- they know physical activity is important and they enjoy it, yet they still don’t meet the guidelines

Question 18

True or False: Children and pre-teens are meeting the two hour recommendation of recreational screen-viewing per day

Answer 18

False

Question 19

What recommendation are children, pre-teens, and adults all meeting?

Answer 19

Sleep recommendations

Question 20

How are guidelines made and who makes the decisions?

Answer 20

• research/studies done within the field to determine stimulus that will improve health, then creates a report that is going to promote health benefits which is achieveable & realistic for individuals

Decisions are made by researchers/experts in the field:
- CSEP
- W.H.O
- Public health agency
- American college of sports medicine

Question 21

Issues with Canada’s Original Physical Activity Guidelines

Answer 21

• only included healthy adults
• only included aerobic activity (missing strength training)
• no guidelines for sleep

Question 22

Current Guidelines shift towards…

Answer 22

24hrs
- making every hour count (moving more, minimizing sedentary behaviour, and focusing on sleep)

Question 23

Guidelines for Adults 18-64

Answer 23

Physical Activity
- variety of types and intensities
- moderate to vigorous aerobic activities
- muscle strength training twice a week
(accumulation of 150 minutes per week)

Sleep
- 7-9 hours of good quality sleep (consistent bed and wake up times)

Sedentary Behaviour
- limiting sedentary time to 8 hours or less
- shifting screen time to movement based

Question 24

Potential harms?

Guidelines for Older Adults (65+)

Answer 24

Physical Activity
- range of physical activities in a variety of environments
- focuses on balance

Sleep
- practice healthy sleep hygiene (routines, behaviours, and environments conductive to sleeping well)

Sedentary Behaviour
- should limit long periods of sedentary behaviours

Benefits of following these guidelines far exceed potential harms

Question 25

How do the guidelines change as we get older?

Answer 25

The relative dose is individualized (based on age)
- stimulus changes as we age, but benefits are same

Question 26

Are canadians following the guidelines?

Answer 26

1. new guidelines are being followed more than the old guidelines
2. majority of guidelines are still not being met

Question 27

Guidelines for Children 0-4

Answer 27

• many hours of sleep (decreases as they age)
• movement is always beneficial
• limit screen time for young children

Question 28

Guidelines for Children 5-17

Answer 28

• movement (both playground/body based exercises and light physical activity that is not exercise based)
• consistent sleep (wake-up and bed-time)
• limit screen and sedentary time

Question 29

What can be done to change this?

Trends of Physical Activity in Youth

Answer 29

• most children are not meeting the guidelines
• boys are more active than girls

Change:
- opportunities for children to participate in sport
- limiting screen time
- more outdoor play
- improving built environment
- increasing parent activity level (model good behaviour)

Question 30

Unique populations that may need different/specific recommendations

Answer 30

Movement becomes challenging
Physical activity still encouraged

Pregnancy
- 150 minutes of moderate intensity PA each week spread over a minimum of 3 days (inlcludes aerobic and resistance training)
- should participate in physical activity with exception of contraindications

Spinal cord injury
- less than 150 minutes
- includes aerobic and resistance exercises
- adaptive exercises necessary (may require specific equipment that helps facilitate movement)

Question 31

Risk involved?

W.H.O Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

Answer 31

Step-Wise Approach
- limit sedentary time
- replace it with some physical activity
- first goal is 150 minutes per week

• high volumes and intensities increase risk and harms (injuries)
• high benefits as physical activity increases, minimal additional benefits at high levels –> reaches a plateau