Physical Activity, Literacy, and Health and Wellness

Question 1

What is physical activity?

Answer 1

Any bodily movement produced by the skeletal muscles that increases heart rate and breathing, and requires a substantial increase over resting energy expenditure.
Engaging in regular physical activity is arguably the single best thing you can do for your health and wellness.
Benefits are nearly endless.

Question 2

Physical Benefits of Physical Activity

Answer 2

Bone health = reduced incidence of weak, brittle bones, and osteoporosis amongst regular exercisers.
Enhanced immunity = moderate, regular physical activity enhances our body’s immune system making us less susceptible to common colds, and 1/2 as many sick days taken.
Mortality = inactivity increases all causes of mortality (exercise regularly, live longer).
-includes loss of lean muscle tissue, reduced strength and mobility needed to live independently, increased body fat, decreased work capacity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, decreased lung efficiency.
Obesity = decreased risk of obesity and all that comes with obesity

Question 3

Mental/Emotional Benefits of Physical Activity

Answer 3

Reduced depression and anxiety = regular, moderate exercise linked to reduced depression and anxiety disorders, including panic attacks.
Brain health = cardiovascular fitness associated with reduced harmful aging effects on brain structures and memory; larger brains (of physically active individuals) amongst those with early stage-Alzheimer’s
Mood/stress = regular exercise boosts mood (including increased production of mood-elevating brain chemicals such as endorphins), increased energy, concentration, alertness, and happiness, and decreased stress levels and increased ability to handle daily stress.

Question 4

Chronic Disease and Physical Activity

Answer 4

Regular exercise reduces the risk of many chronic diseases including…
-heart disease: sedentary people twice as likely to die of heart attack; regularly active people typically have strong heart muscles, more efficient pumping of blood by heart, decreased heart rate and resting heart rate, and decreased blood pressure
-cancer: reduced risk of certain types of cancer and reoccurrence/secondary cancer
-type II diabetes: controls insulin resistance; prevents pre-diabetes and type II diabetes

Question 5

Societal Costs of Physical Inactivity

Answer 5

A key driver of healthcare (over)use in Canada can be attributed to physical activity (at least partially).
Physical inactivity has negative consequences not just for inactive people, but also for greater society.
Physical inactivity contributes to health issues that require people to use more health care services and imposes extra costs on the publicly funded healthcare system.
-compared to an active person, an inactive person…
-spend 38% more days in hospital
-uses 13% more specialist services
-uses 12% more nurse visits
A 10% reduction in prevalence of physical inactivity = savings of $150 million annually (directly)
Physical inactivity costs taxpayers $6.8 billion a year (directly and indirectly)

Question 6

What is a MET?

Answer 6

Means “metabolic equivalent” of the energy cost of physical activities compared to energy cost at rest.
1 MET = the energy you use when you’re resting or sitting still. ~1 calorie per kg of body weight.
METs vary by person, but are based on research-based scores and are reliable estimate.
Multiply by number of minutes to get total calories burned during activity.
1-3 METs = complete rest and light physical activity.
3-6 METs = moderate physical activity.
6+ METs = vigorous physical activity.
So, adults ages 18-64 should be getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week at a minimum of 3 METs (ideally incorporating some at 6+ METs).

Question 7

How to calculate calories burned using METs…

Answer 7

Calories per minute =
METs x 3.5 x kgs/200

Question 8

Why aren’t most/all Canadians active and limiting sedentary behaviours?

Answer 8

Social determinants of health and physical (il)literacy.
These are key reasons that Canadians are not all on the same level, with respect to physical activity pursuits/participation.

Question 9

Physical Literacy

Answer 9

Used to explain and promote the connection between learning about and adopting daily physical activity as it relates to health, fitness, and athletic performance and sport.
Is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.
The goal of enhancing physical activity is to develop children’s ability, competence, confidence, and motivation to keep moving and trying new activities throughout their lifetimes.
Involves learning basic movement patterns that can build and develop, making the child more capable and willing to be active.
If a child become competent at these basic skills/movements, they will become more confident in doing them and other new skills going forward, and in turn will be motivated to keep performing them, with the confidence and motivation to try new skills/movements, including sports.

Question 10

What are some subcategories associated with physical literacy?

Answer 10

Motivation and confidence.
Physical competence.
Knowledge and understanding.
Engagement in physical activity for life.

Question 11

Motivation and Confidence (in terms of physical literacy)

Answer 11

The affective domain encouraging enjoyment and enthusiasm for physical activity.

Question 12

Physical Competence (in terms of physical literacy)

Answer 12

The physical domain where individuals acquire the ability to develop and experience basic movement skills.

Question 13

Knowledge and Understanding (in terms of physical literacy)

Answer 13

The cognitive domain where we begin to understand the health benefits of being active.

Question 14

Engagement in physical activities for life (in terms of physical literacy)

Answer 14

The behavioural domain where we begin to choose to be active on a consistent basis.

Question 15

How to promote physical activity…

Answer 15

Can promote the importance of physical activity through interventions!
Effective interventions are required to promote adoption and maintenance of active lifestyles.

Question 16

What is the goal of physical activity interventions?

Answer 16

To help people change their behaviour and replace sedentary pursuits with active ones.

Question 17

What are the three levels of intervention that can be used?

Answer 17

Downstream
Midstream
Upstream

Question 18

Downstream Intervention

Answer 18

Individual level interventions for those who possess the risk factor or suffer from risk-related diseases/conditions.
Emphasis is on changing rather than prevention health-damaging behaviours.
Ie. Physician counselling for patients with diabetes, health education for cardiac patient, etc.

Question 19

Midstream Intervention

Answer 19

Population-level (specific populations) interventions that target defined populations for the purpose of changing and/or preventing health-damaging behaviours.
Involve mediation through important organization channels.
Ie. community-based exercise program for new moms, installations of women’s fitness facility, etc.

Question 20

Upstream Intervention

Answer 20

Macro-level (ie. state/provincial and national) public policy or environmental interventions to strengthen social norms and supports for healthy behaviours and to redirect unhealthy societal counterforces.
“Blanket” interventions for anyone who wants to use them.
Ie. increase time for walk sign on crosswalks, fitness tax credit, etc.

Question 21

Public Health Impact

Answer 21

To have a population-level impact, a public health approach involves interventions at all three levels simultaneously…
-upstream public policy, midstream prevention, downstream treatments

Question 22

24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Report Card for 18-64

Answer 22

Moderate to Vigorous PA = 150 minutes mVPA/week, C, 49%
Sleep = 7-9 hours, B, 77%
Sedentary behaviour = <8 hours of sedentary time per day, F, 12%

Question 23

Key Recommendations for Optimal Health of 18-64 year olds - Physical Activity

Answer 23

Perform various types of PA with varying levels of intensity.
Aerobic activity: at least 150 minutes of MV aerobic activity.
Muscle strengthening: at least twice a week.
Light physical activity: several hours

Question 24

Key Recommendations for Optimal Health of 18-64 year olds - Sleep

Answer 24

Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep.
Go to sleep at consistent times.
Wake up at consistent times.

Question 25

Key Recommendations for Optimal Health of 18-64 year olds - Sedentary Behaviour

Answer 25

Limit sedentary time to under 8 hours.
Limit sedentary screen time to under 3 hours.
Avoid long periods of sitting.

Question 26

RE-AIM Framework

Answer 26

Reach - did you reach your intended population? How much of the target population participated?
Effectiveness - was it successful/effective? How successful was it (percentages, averages, etc. of key variables)?
Adoption - did the settings/places/environments approached adopt it?
Implementation - was it delivered as intended? Cost? Consistency across settings?
Maintenance - are effects sustained over time? Modifications needed for long-term change?

Question 27

Physical Activity Guidelines: Early Years

Answer 27

infants several times/day.
toddlers and preschoolers 180 minutes/day.

Question 28

Physical Activity Guidelines: Children and Youth

Answer 28

at least 60 mins/day MVPA

Question 29

Physical Activity Guidelines: Adults and Older Adults

Answer 29

at least 150 minutes/week of MVPA

Question 30

Physical Activity Guidelines

Answer 30

Are evidence-based recommendations about how much physical activity it takes to obtain health benefits.
The guidelines are the goal, they are not intended to motivate individuals.
Tell us nothing about why or how to be active.

Question 31

Messaging about Physical Activity

Answer 31

To motivate individuals to be regularly active, persuasive messages must be used that convey information about the why and how.
Messages = all the information to be conveyed to public
Messaging = the process of getting the message to the public; using media that the target audience is most likely to use.

Question 32

Strategies to Enhance Physical Activity Measures

Answer 32

1) Include certain message qualities.
2) Create relevance.
3) Choose appropriate message framing.
4) Create accessible messages.

Question 33

1) Include certain message qualities

Answer 33

Novel - best if messages are unusual, unfamiliar, unique.
Vivid (richness of info) - attracts more attention.
Salient - stands out

Question 34

2) Create relevance

Answer 34

Tailoring - present information in a manner that best fits an individual’s needs/characteristics.
-not suitable for mass-media campaigns
Targeting - define a population group based on a common characteristic; provide information consistent with that groups’ characteristics.
-allows for implementation at a larger group level

Question 35

3) Choose Appropriate Message Framing

Answer 35

The emphasis a message has on the benefits of adopting physical activity behaviour (gain-framed) or the costs of failing to adopt physical activity behaviour (loss-framed).
Research suggests that gain-framed messages are typically more effective for promoting physical activity.
-increased intentions to be active
-increased physical activity behaviour
Gain-framed message persuade individuals to engage in preventive behaviours that are not risky.
Loss-framed messages persuade individuals to engage in detection behaviours that are risky.

Question 36

Gain-framed

Answer 36

Emphasize the benefits of being active.

Question 37

Loss-framed

Answer 37

Emphasize the costs of being inactive.

Question 38

4) Create Accessible Messages

Answer 38

Ability of individuals to obtain, process, understand a health message.
Written messages too often exceed health literacy level of population.
Potential barrier to message processing (results in poor comprehension, failure to use the information).

Question 39

Evaluating Messaging Campaigns

Answer 39

Planning and evaluation are essential
-planning provides blueprints
-evaluation provides evidence
Framework for Evaluation
-evaluation provides insight into successful and unsuccessful elements of campaign.

Question 40

Framework for evaluation

Answer 40

Evaluation should occur at all phases of campaign planning and implementation.
Formative evaluation includes pre-testing messages.
Process evaluation includes monitoring campaign reach.
-does it reach and hit home with the target audience?
Outcome evaluation (assess if campaign achieved its goals).