Full Description
"Physical Activity and Health" explains clearly, systematically and in detail the relationships between physical activity, health and disease, and examines the benefits of exercise in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of important health conditions. The book critically considers the evidence linking levels of physical activity with disease and mortality. It explores the causes of specific health conditions and syndromes prevalent in developed societies, such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabtetes, obesity and cancer, and discusses the role of physical activity in their prevention or alleviation.Throughout, the book draws on cutting edge research literature and is designed help the student to evaluate the quality and significance of the scientific evidence. A concluding section explores broader themes in exercise and public health, including therapeutic uses of exercise; exercise and ageing; children's health and exercise, and physical activity and public health policy, and includes a critical appraisal of current recommendations for physical activity.Containing useful pedagogical features throughout, including chapter summaries, study activities, self evaluation tasks, guides to 'landmark' supplementary reading and definitions of key terms, and richly illustrated with supporting case-studies, tables, figures and plates, "Physical Activity and Health" is an essential course companion. It is vital reading for degree-level students of sport and exercise science, public health, physical therapy, medicine, nursing and nutrition.
Contents
Foreword by Professor Jeremy Morris, CBE Authors' preface; Personal acknowledgements; Illustration acknowledgements; List of conversion factors; Part I Assessing the evidence; 1 Introduction Early observations Modern trends Physical activity levels in populations Temporal changes in physical activity National surveys of fitness Definition of key terms Summary Study tasks Further reading; 2 Nature of the evidence Introduction What is epidemiology? Assessment of physical activity and fitness in epidemiology Laboratory-based research Error: nature, sources and implications Establishing causality Summary Study tasks Further reading; 3 Physical activity and total mortality Introduction Physical activity and all-cause mortality Physical fitness and all-cause mortality Changes in physical activity and all-cause mortality Changes in physical fitness and all-cause mortality Physical fitness, body composition and all-cause mortality Exercise for longevity Summary Study tasks Further reading; Part II Effects of physical activity on the risk of disease; 4 Cardiovascular disease Introduction What is cardiovascular disease? Atherosclerosis Epidemiology of physical activity and coronary heart disease Epidemiology of fitness and coronary heart disease Changes in physical activity or fitness and coronary heart disease Dose-response: what level of activity or fitness confers protection against CHD? Stroke Hypertension Summary Study tasks Further reading; 5 Risk factors for cardiovascular disease Introduction Cardiovascular disease risk factors Lipoprotein metabolism Blood pressure Endothelial function Coagulation and fibrinolysis Insulin resistance Overweight and obesity Summary Study tasks Further reading; 6 Type; 2 diabetes Introduction Types of diabetes Aetiology of type; 2 diabetes Prevalence of type; 2 diabetes Obesity and type; 2 diabetes Evidence that physical activity prevents type; 2 diabetes Mechanisms of interaction between exercise and type; 2 diabetes Summary Study tasks Further reading; 7 Obesity and energy balance Introduction Definition of obesity Prevalence of obesity Health risks of obesity Genetic influences on obesity Energy balance and obesity Exercise, resting metabolic rate and obesity Physical inactivity as a cause of obesity Summary Study tasks Further reading; 8 Insulin resistance syndrome Introduction Definition of the insulin resistance syndrome Prevalence Abnormalities associated with insulin resistance Influence of physical activity Exercise and postprandial lipoprotein metabolism Prevention Summary Study tasks Further reading; 9 Cancer Introduction Carcinogenesis Physical activity an
