Background+Reading

=Background reading for topic 1= Websites: [] - excellent background website

[] I will refer to this website frequently. It is an important global site concerning the health benefits of sport.

This unit will look at the development of active leaisure and recreation initially within the UK but also in a wider context. We will define the terms recreation and active leisure. We will also look at the reasons why our society has to move towards a more active lifestyle from its current sedantary one.

Requirements for participation: Fitness Ability Resources Time

Fitness is one of the reasons why people often do not take part in Physical Activity. Fitness itself can be obtained, maintained or improved assuming that the basic health is maintained. Basic health is a statement of the general well being of the individual, and shows a lack of unhealthy behaviour. A lack of fitness will limit the effectiveness of the performer within the sporting context.
 * Fitness**


 * Health related Fitness** is the term that describes a basic level of physical fitness components which facilitate a good level of health.

Ability refers to the the experiences that the individual has had. This can impact their confidence, their skill level within the game and their ability to push themselves during sporting performance.
 * Ability**

These are essential to take part in Physical Activity. Sufficient People Money to Participate**
 * Resources**
 * Physical Equiupment

For sport to take place on a large scale the country must possess the economic will and the political and cultural desire. Clearly a developing country may not possess the financial ability to support activities that are more reliant on technology. Think about distance running in Kenya versus the Kenyan success in Swimming

This equally applies to individuals who need access to money, have enough people to participate or have enough the right equipment.

Time, or lack of it is often described as the western disease. Increased leisure time from work has been affected by an almost apparently linear increase in social demands. There is a growing tendancy to be sendentary at work, the result is a growing physical apathy, certainly among some groups in society.
 * Time**

1) a state of mind is entered into 2) entered into voluntarily 3)it must be intrinsically motivating or its own merit (Neulinger, 1981)
 * Leisure** is defined as a period of time spent out of work and essential domestic activity. Leisure must be


 * Recreation** can be defined as the use of time in a manner to refresh the body or mind.

Leisure tends to be a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner.

We are trying to encourage people to participate in sport at a 'grass roots' level in order to promote their physical wellbeing. A vartiey of activities are promoted by governments and health bodies as well as the sporting associations. The sporting associations are keen to develop their membership base or to find the next superstar performer. There are obstacles to people participating in regular sport however.
 * Sport for all**

The sport for all campaign has gone through several rebrandings since the 1970s but now receives over $300 from the central government in the UK which runs sport councils, fund campaigns and provide information for people. Much of this money goes to the sport organizing bodies who use it within their programs to promote participation. (www.uksport.gov.uk)

The development of societies has led to a number or positive and also negative outcomes for the people. We have briefly discussed the positive aspects, but some of the negative aspects are now major health concerns within the 1st world nations.
 * Contemporary Concerns**

//**Obesity**// This refers to the amount of body fat over and above the accepted norm for that persons age. There is no definitive way to measure obesity, but masny doctors use a height/weight score called BMI. The body fat level of a healthy male is considered to be 13-17 percent while for females it is considered to be 21-25 percent. (source) Obesity is not an aging problem. 16.8 percent of boys and 16.9 percent of girls in the UK were diagnosed as clinically obese in 2005.

CHD also known as coronary artery disease is the result of accumulation of fatty deposits forming plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium, the muscles of the heart. Unfortunately, early symptons of CHD are difficult to detect and many people's first warning is when they have their first heart attack. There are a number of factors that increase your risk of CHD: High Blood pressure, diabetes, high LDL 'bad' cholesterol, menopause, smoking, obesity, not enough physical activity. Further reading: []
 * //Coronary Heart Disease//**

Diabetes is a disease that is characterized by the inability of the body to make sufficient insulin or alternatively the resistance of the body to insulin. Consequently, the body is unable to regulate insulin levels. Hyperglycemia is when there is too much glucose in the blood. Type 1 diabetes is insulin dependent and usually appears in young people aged 10-16. Type 2 diabetes is non-insulin dependent and usually appears gradually over 40s. Diabetes can cause many complications and if ignored or not treated effectively, diabetes can lead to serious long term complications. Further reading: [] [] []
 * //Diabetes//**

High blood pressure is often referred to and linked with coronary heart disease. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, this is called diastolic pressure. This is between the heart beats.
 * //High Blood Pressure//**

Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. Usually they are written one above or before the other. 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure. 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure levels are above the normal range. High blood pressure usually has little or no symptoms. Blood pressure chart: [] Further reading: []

Cholesterol is often blamed for a multitude of illnesses. The trust is that cholesterol is essential for bodily fuction and is not dangerous. But too much of the wrong sort of cholesterol is very dangerous.
 * //High Cholesterol//**
 * Diet: one that is high in saturated fat combined with lack of exercise may increase LDL (bad) cholersterol and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol
 * Family History: People are at a higher risk of high cholesterol if they have a direct male relative aged under 55 or a female under 65 affected by heart disease
 * Weight: Being overweight may increase LDL and decrease HDL
 * Age and Sex: Cholesterol generally rises slightly with increasing age. Men are more likely to be affected than women
 * Alcohol: Drinking more than the recommended amount
 * LDL - Low density** lipoprotein THis is a lipoprotein wheich has less protein in relation to fat
 * HDL - High density** lipoprotein A lipoprotein which has more protein in relation to fat.

//**Metabolic Syndrome**// See Reading activity for more information Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque building up on the artery walls.
 * Abdominal obesity
 * atherogenic dyslipidemia (blood fat disorder, high triglycerides, low HDL and high LDL)
 * elevated blood pressure
 * insulin resistance or glucose intolerance

The main target in the treatment of metabolic syndrome is to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes i.e.reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels to the recommended levels.

Following a sedentary lifestyle is more dangerous for your health than smoking, says a new study reported in the South China Morning post. (Target New.com) However, when the list of contemporary concerns is examined it is clear that the commmon theme of regular exercise could combat all of them. Exercise in itself will not eradicate **the hypokinetic disorders** but it can go a long way toward lessening their effect.
 * //Sendentary Lifestyles//**
 * Hypokinetic Disorder**: a disorder that is totally or partially attributed to a lack of physical activity.

In terms of sport and physical activity access is a term that covers both **opportunity** and **provision**. Barriers to **opportunity**: There are different types of stress and different ways of dealing with them. The body reacts to stress. Many athletes undertake pre-event rituals prior to competition because they stress the body. As a result the body makes temporary changes to help it deal with the stress. These temporary changes are called responses and help us to perform better. Exercise in the form of training is a stress. The body reacts to the regular **catabolic** state that the exercise puts it in by growing bigger, getting stronger, fitter. These are adaptations
 * ACCESS**
 * Ethnicity
 * Gender
 * Social Class
 * Ability/Disability
 * Age
 * Provision**:
 * Location and availability of facilities
 * Availability of specialist equipment
 * Location of home versus the location of the sport in question
 * //Stress//**
 * catabolic:** describing the break down phase, such as training
 * anabolic:** describing the build up or recovery phase



Events that provoke stress are called stressors. The body responds to stress by activating the nervous system and the production of certain hormones. The adrenal gland is stimulated to produce more of the hormones adrenalin and cortisol which are released into the blood stream.

= When we perceive that there is a threat to our existence our bodies respond by producing the hormone adrenalin. This prepares us to either fight or take flight (run away) from the danger by triggering a number of physical changes designed to increase our chances of survival = The production of adrenalin is mediated by the //sympathetic nervous system//, which kicks into action whenever we perceive a threat. It leads to physiological changes that "gear us up" to respond to stress. After intense physical exertion, the //parasympathetic nervous system// produces a series of changes designed to relax us, to help us sleep in order to recover our strength, promote the healing of wounds, fight infection and reduce the intensity of any pain. The whole system is highly adapted to ensure survival in a primitive and physically stressful environment. Many of us are lucky enough not to live in such an environment today, yet this entire system still survives. Because the world we live in is so different, this prehistoric legacy from our savage past can sometimes cause us problems. For example, we may be perpetually stressed yet rarely or never exert ourselves sufficiently to trigger the beneficial effects of the parasympathetic nervous system. This not only feels unpleasant, it can have detrimental effects on our health in the longer term.

There is also a good level of information here: [] []

Remember that the body is seeking to return to a state of homeostasis. Speed up: heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and metabolism Dilate: Blood vessels to improve bllod flow. Dilate pupils to impove vision Prompt: live to release glucose; prompt thermoregulation

This chain of reactions is known as the stress responses.

A degree of stress can be beneficial to improve performance on exams or performing in sport. Stress can build up with low level stressors which are not always recognized. However, long term stressful situations can produice a lasting, low-level stress that can have a negative effect. If the stress continues for an extended period the body can continue to produce hormone secretions and this can weaken the body's immune system and cause other health related problems such as lethargy, mood swings, sleep deprivation, degression, increased blood pressure and elevated heart rate.
 * //Good vs Bad Stress//**

When you embark on a fitness program, it is important to know whether you are pursuing it for health or fitness benefits. Health: A complete state of physical and mental well-being and not merely the absense of disease or informity. Fitness: THe abiltiy to meet the demands of the environment without undue fatigue.
 * Health and Fitness**

The environments which we assoiate fitness is sport. As each sport, and even the positions and roles within the same sport can differ so greatly then your environment becomes very specific. A marathon runner has to run 26 miles and not only survive it but actually be able to race it. It is difficult to compare the 'fitness' levels of different sports as the fitness level really depends on the environment that the sport is played. The sprinter would dominate on the 100m track, but might not do so well when it is a 10 mile cross country run.
 * aerobic:** with oxygen
 * anaerobic:** without oxygen

To ask who has the greater aerobic fitness, would be a valid question, as would the question of who possesses the greatest anaerobic capacity. This type of question that has identified cross-country skiers with having the greatest levels of VO2 max of any athlete. However it woul dbe wrong to use the information to state that cross-country skiers are the fittest athletes.
 * VO2max** is the maximum amount of oxygen that can be taken in, and used, per kilogram of bodyweight.

Health is life related fitness while fitness is sport related fitness, Both are specific with regards to how well you meet your environment.

When someone has achieved what is considered to be a good standard of health then it might be clearly visible for others to see throught a change in body mass through loss of fat. Psychological benefits of fat loss: Fitness targets: Health targets:
 * The positive benefits of achieving health and/or fitness**
 * increased confidence
 * increased drive
 * increased motivation
 * Feeling of mental wellbeing
 * Increase in concentration levels
 * Increased ability to deal with stress
 * Increased confidence
 * Improved fitness components
 * weight loss
 * weight management
 * improved cardiovascular and or cardiorespiratory efficiency and functioning
 * improved range of movement.