CEE 521- INTRODUCTION (Notes)

Why and whats the reason people dont exercise?

o Part of the reason people dont start or drop out of exercise programs is that the
physical activity presented to the populations lacks purpose and the exercise
prescription focuses on measuring heart rates and duration instead of enjoyment
or accomplishment
The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM) reported that as many as 250,000 lives are lost annually
because of lack of regular, moderate physical activity.

Healthy Behaviors

1. Categories: 1. Physical Activity, 2. Healthy Food Choices, Weight Control, Stress
Management, Other Health Behaviors

Physical Activity
o Lack of physical activity is now considered as much a contributor to heart disease
as are high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, etc.
Healthy Food Choices
o Poor food choices contribute directly to overweight, obesity, heart disease,
diabetes, and cancer.and indirectly to other problems such as depression.
o Long work hours can influence bad food choices. Poor diet + lack of exercise =
possibility of diseases
Weight Control
o Over 90% of people who have lost 25 lbs or more will return to their previous
weight within a year.
o Many weight loss programs contribute to obesity
o Active life + healthy food choices = permanent weight loss
o Physical activity maintains or builds lean tissue (muscle) that has the capability to
burn calories. Diet alone leads to loss of muscle and reduction in daily caloric
expenditure resulting in increased fat storage.
Stress Management
o Stress management implies the learning of effective coping strategies or ways to
deal with stress. Stress is linked to diseases.
Other Healthy Behaviors
o Alcohol, drugs, prevention
o Apply preventative measures. Interventions are always cheaper than treatments.

Does exercise have to be intense to be beneficial?
Recommendations: Every American should accumulate 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-
intensity physical activity on most days of the week. Can include walking, gardening,
dancing, etc. Start low and build up to 30 minutes. Slowly add resistance training and
flexibility exercises.
Activity Index*- pg 9
Conclusion: If you want to feel better and look better you need to engage in physical
activity.
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CEE 521- CHAPTER 1 (Notes)

Epidemiology- Study of diseases as it relates to certain behaviors (physical activity)
Research studies regarding the epidemic of diseases and its relationship with physical
fitness and activity
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) remains the nations number-one killer for men and
women. Leaders to heart attacks
Atherosclerosis- process that narrows the arteries and restricts the blood flow to the
heart.
Lack of blood and oxygen can damage heart muscle if it isnt treated quickly
Ten percent of heart attacks are associated with physical activity; 90 percent are not.
Inactive people are 56 times more likely to have a heart attack during exertion.
Research study on Drivers and Conductors (role of activity): refer to pg 17
Self-evaluation for CAD: refer to pg 17
Research study by Paffenbarger and associates (1986): indicates that moderately
vigorous activity and sport were more effective in reducing the risk of CAD.
Womens Risk- chart on pg 18
Physical fitness, more specifically aerobic fitness, has been associated with better health
Regular, moderate physical activity conveys many if not most of the important health
benefits associated with exercise.
Your vascular system, which delivers blood carrying oxygen, food, and hormones to the
cells of your body, is the first line of defense against disease and removes waste products
and heat.
Physical activity provides beneficial changes in blood clotting, blood pressure, and blood
distribution, along with the specific previously noted for your heart.

Blood Clotting
o Regular, moderate, or even vigorous activity is the way to enhance the ability of
the body to dissolve unwanted clots
o Fibrinogen- a protein produced by the liver
o Regular exercise is the most practicable approach known to decrease plasma
fibrinogen levels
Blood Pressure
o High blood pressure, or hypertension increases the workload of the heart by
forcing it to contract against greater resistance.
o Anything that lowers blood pressure, reduces the workload of the heart in which
regular, moderate physical activity has been shown to reduce blood pressure in
middle-age or older people.
Blood Distribution
o Regular physical activity teaches the body to distribute the blood to muscles
better during exercise, further reducing the workload of the heart.
Blood Volume
o The 10 to 15 percent increase in blood volume that comes with endurance
training further enhances the performance of both the heart and skeletal muscles.
These changes serve to lower the heart rate and blood pressure during physical
activity.
Blood Lipids- Lipid is another word for fat. The blood lips include cholesterol and
triglycerides, and each is related to the risk of heart disease.
HDLs and LDLs

Fat Metabolism: If you eat too much, you will gain weight in the form of stored fat.
Excess fat is a health risk for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and some forms of
cancer.
Regular activity burns calories, helping maintain a desirable body weight and percent
and a leaner, healthier figure.
Studies have shown that one aspirin a day (or one every other day) reduces the risk of
unwanted clots associated with heart disease and stroke.
Electrolytes, including potassium, sodium, and calcium, are essential to the function of
muscles
o Tachycardia- rapid heart beating
o Fibrillation- Irregular uncontrolled, unsynchronized beating
Hypertension and Stroke: Regular endurance exercise lowers resting systolic and
diastolic pressure by about 20 mm of mercury.

Cancer and Immunity
o Women who are active in their youth have fewer cancers of the breast and the
reproductive system.
Diabetes and Obesity
o Researchers have begun to suspect a link between diabetes, CAD, hypertension,
specifically that all three share-insulin that all three share insulin resistance and
that obesity and lack of activity are part of the problem.
Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Back problems
o Osteoarthritis- painful joint degeneration as in the knees, doesnt seem to be
caused by exercise unless a previous injury has occurred.
o Osteoporosis- is the progressive loss of bone mineral that occurs faster in
woman, especially after menopause. Adequate calcium intake can slow the loss
of bone mineral. Weight-bearing exercises helps maximize bone mass during
youth, maintain bone mass in middle age, and slow age-related in later years, and
exercise helps older people avoid crippling falls.
o Back problems- result from the acute or chronic assault to underused and
untrained bodies.
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CEE-521 CHAPTER 2 (Notes)

Studies indicate that the level of physical activity is positively associated with good
mental health, when mental health is defined as positive mood and general well-being.
Activity reduces anxiety and depression
o Anxiety has been defined as a diffuse apprehension of some vague threat,
characterized by feelings of uncertainty and helplessness.
Anxiety exercise prescription
o Mode: Aerobic activities, such as walking
o Frequency: Regular (almost daily)
o Intensity: Moderate
o Time: 30 to 60 min
Depression is characterized by sadness, low self-esteem, pessimism, hopelessness, and
despair. Symptoms range from fatigue, irritability, lack of direction, and withdrawal to
thoughts of suicide.
Activity is a form of meditation, providing the benefits of other approaches along with
improvement in health and fitness. It provides a sense of control over ones life and
environment.
Self-concept is our knowledge, assumptions, and feelings about ourselves.
An extensive review of research on children indicated that activity was associated with a
positive self-concept, participation in activity programs contributed to self-esteem.
One fear associated with injury is the loss of identity and social acceptance.

Stress, tension, and reactive behavior patterns have been associated with heart disease,
hypertension, suppression of the immune system, and a variety of other illnesses.
Stress has been defined as anything that increases the release of ACTH
(adrenocorticotropic hormone) or cortisol
Behaviors: Type A behavior pattern is characterized by extreme competitiveness,
ambition, and a profound sense of time urgency. Type B personality is relaxed, calm, and
even phlegmatic.
Stress Test Chart: pg 40
Positive and Negative Addictions
o Negative addictions such as drugs or alcohol relieve the pain of failure and
provide temporary pleasure but at a terrible cost in terms of family, social, and
professional life.
o Positive addictions (such as physical activity), lead to psychological strength,
imagination, and creativity.
Positive addiction can be achieved in almost any activity, as long as it meets this criteria:
o The activity is not competitive
o Duration of 1 hour daily (approx.)
o Activity is easy to do and doesnt take much mental effort
o Can be done alone or occasionally with others
o You believe it has some physical, mental or spiritual value
o You believe that if you persist you will improve
o You can do it without criticizing yourself.
International Society of Sport Psychology believes that the benefits of regular vigorous
activity include:
o Reduced state anxiety
o Decreased level of mild to moderate depression
o Reductions in neuroticism and anxiety
o An adjunct to professional treatment of severe depression
o Reduction of stress indices
o Beneficial emotional effects for all ages and both sexes
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CEE 521 CHAPTER 3 (Notes)

Health Screening: Age, sex, health risks, family history, and occupation determine the
need for health screening.
Use Early Detection Tests when applicable or meets the following criteria:
o The disease has a significant effect on the quality of life
o Acceptable methods of treatment are available
o Treatment during the (no symptom) period significantly reduces disability or
death
o Early treatment yields a superior result
o Detection tests are at reasonable cost
o The incidence of the disease in the population is sufficient to justify the cost of
screening
Blood Pressure Evaluation, pg 49
o Normal BP: <120 / <80 (Retest annually)
o Prehypertension: 120-130 / 80-85 (Retest in 6 months)
o Hypertension: 130 / 85 (See Physician)
Annual medical examinations are important for yourself and your family
Cholesterol is a serious heart disease risk factor. It is a fatlike substance found in all
human and animal tissues but not in plants. We ingest cholesterol in meat, eggs, fish,
poultry.
The ideal total cholesterol is below 150 milligrams. Refer to charts on pg 51
LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the dangerous version that finds its way
into things the lining of the coronary arteries. It can combine with oxygen and enhance
the development of plagues in arteries
HDL (High-density lipoprotein) cholesterol acts like a transport system that picks up
excess cholesterol and delivers it to the liver for reprocessing and removal. Higher HDL
levels are protective.
Prescription for Elevated Cholesterol
o Exercise: Thirty minutes of moderate daily aerobic activity will lower LDL a
modest amount; higher intensity or duration exercise (jogging) will further reduce
LDL and improve HDL cholesterol
o Diet: Reduce animal and hydrogenated fat intake, increase fiber by eating bran
and whole-grained products, increase vitamin C and E intake.
Pre-exercise screening questionnaire: pg 54
Exercise stress test: A gradually increased exercise challenge known as a stress test can
detect indications of previously undiagnosed heart disease. Maximal or near-maximal
workloads may be needed to elicit the symptoms of previously undiagnosed heart
disease. Stress tests are usually terminated when the heart rate reaches some percentage
of the age-adjusted maximal heart rate.
Age and Maximal Heart Rates: pg 55
The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a strip of paper with a record of the hearts activity. Each
complete ECG cycle represents one beat of the heart.
Assess the benefits and risks regarding physical activity levels.
o Pg 60: Stop signs, yield signs, caution signs

Special Considerations for Exercise
Older adults: Seniors should undertake exercises to develop and maintain muscular
strength and endurance. Try to increase strength to required levels before loss of strength
limits self-sufficiency.
Women: Young women need to know that high-volume vigorous prepubertal training
may delay the onset of the menstrual cycle. Pregnant women are recommended to
eliminate high-impact aerobics and keep their heart rate below 140 beats per minute.
Avoid high temperature. Postmenopausal women should participate should participate in
activities that put a moderate degree of stress on the muscles and bones of the upper as
well as legs, to minimize the progress of osteoporosis. All women should be aware of
special nutritional needs (calcium, iron).
Children: Children should avoid heavy training, prolonged hard work in the heat, and
excess competition. Give children freedom to explore.
People with Disabilities: Each disability carries its own restrictions, but each has
potential as well.
Racial Considerations: Be cognizant of racial factors concerning certain illnesses (Ex:
African-Americans and hypertension).
Health Risk Analysis: pg 64