PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES TOWARD

HEALTH AND FITNESS 1

Module 1 PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE

Introduction

Physical activity is essential for the development of wholesome personality of

a child which would depend upon the opportunities provided for wholesome
development of the mental, physical, social and spiritual aspects.
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents some challenges to
maintaining a physically active lifestyle. For all of us, young and old, regular physical
activity remains an important strategy for staying healthy! Compared to being
sedentary, moderate-intensity physical activity is associated with better immune
function. Likewise, regular physical activity is associated with lower levels of anxiety
and perceived stress.
This module focuses on the health benefits of physical activity and exercise. It
tells you how you can keep yourself really fit. Physical activity gives you a chance to
have fun, be with friends and family, enjoy the outdoors, and improve fitness so you
can more easily participate in additional physical activity or sporting events. If you
are more active, you feel more energetic and healthier.

Learning Outcome
At the end of the module, you will be able to:
 Explain the importance of physical activity and exercise in one’s life.
 Establish an understanding of an active life in improving one’s health.
 Create a physical activity log.

Learning Content

Physical Activity on a Continuum

Physical activity is movement carried out by the skeletal muscles that
requires energy. Different types of physical activity can vary by ease or intensity.
Physical activity is essential to health and confers wide- ranging health benefits, but
exercise is necessary to significantly improve physical fitness. Examples of physical
activity include walking to and from school, taking the stairs instead of elevators and
escalators, gardening, doing household chores, dancing, and washing the car by
hand. Physical inactivity, by contrast, implies a level of activity that is lower than that
required to maintain good health.

Exercise is a type of physical activity that requires planned, structured, and

repetitive bodily movement to improve or maintain one or more components of
physical fitness. Examples of exercise are walking, running, cycling, aerobics,
swimming, and strength training. Exercise is usually viewed as an activity that
requires a vigorous-intensity effort.

Importance of Physical Activity and Exercise

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for
your health.
If you have not been physically active in a while, you may be wondering how
to get started again. If you’re not sure about becoming active or boosting your level
of physical activity because you’re afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that
moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, is generally safe for most
people.
Staying active is one of the best ways to keep our bodies healthy. But did you
know it can also improve your overall well-being and quality of life?
Here are just a few of the ways physical activity can help you feel better, look
better and live better. Because, why not?

1. Manage Weight.

You gain weight when you consume more calories through eating and
drinking than the amount of calories you burn, including those burned during
physical activity. It’s important to. When it comes to weight management, people
vary greatly in how much physical activity they need. You may need to be more
active than others to reach or maintain a healthy weight.

To maintain your weight: Work your way up to 150 minutes a week of

moderate-intensity aerobic activity (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a
week). Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity can help you
maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of physical activity
needed to do this is not clear since it varies greatly from person to person. It’s
possible that you may need to do more than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
activity a week to maintain your weight.

To lose weight and keep it off: You will need a high amount of physical activity
unless you also adjust your diet and reduce the amount of calories you’re eating
and drinking. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular
physical activity and a healthy eating plan.
2. Reduce Your Health Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Following the recommendations and getting at least 150 minutes a week

of moderate-intensity aerobic activity can put you at a lower risk for these
diseases. You can reduce your risk even further with more physical activity.
Regular physical activity can also lower your blood pressure and improve your
cholesterol levels.

3. Reduce Your Health Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2

diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is some combination of
too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, low High Density
Lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, high triglycerides, or high blood sugar. People
start to see benefits at levels of physical activity below the recommended 150
minutes a week. Additional amounts of physical activity seem to lower risk even
more.

If you already have type 2 diabetes, regular physical activity can help you
control your blood glucose levels.

4. Prevent Some Cancers

Being physically active lowers your risk for developing several commonly
occurring cancers. Research shows that adults who participate in greater
amounts of physical activity have reduced risks of developing cancers of the:

 Bladder
 Breast
 Colon (proximal and distal)
 Endometrium
 Esophagus (adenocarcinoma)
 Kidney
 Lung
 Stomach (cardia and non-cardia adenocarcinoma)

5. Strengthen Your Bones and Muscles

Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles

and bones. As you age, it’s important to protect your bones, joints, and
muscles – they support your body and help you move. Keeping bones, joints,
and muscles healthy can help ensure that you’re able to do your daily
activities and be physically active.

Regular physical activity helps with arthritis and other rheumatic

conditions affecting the joints. Doing 150 minutes a week of moderate-
intensity aerobic physical activity, if able, plus muscle-strengthening activity
improves your ability to manage pain and do everyday tasks and improves
quality of life.
 6. Increase Your Chances of Living Longer

People who are physically active and at a healthy weight live about
seven years longer than those who are not active and are obese. And the
important part is that those extra years are generally healthier years. Science
shows that physical activity can reduce your risk of dying early from leading
causes of death, like heart disease and some cancers.

7. Look Good and Feel Good

Fitness and health can improve the way you look. Your body firms up
and the condition of your skin, hair and so on improve. Good posture always
makes you look better.

Being fit and healthy can you more energy and can improve your self-
confidence. Regular exercise helps you to relax and relieve tension.

8. Effective Treatment Strategies for Symptoms of both Depression and

Anxiety

It also reduces stress and anxiety and improves mood, which in turn
helps you sleep better and prevents burnout. Exercise also releases
endorphins, chemicals in your brain that revitalize your mind and body. If you
use exercise to keep up your energy and spirits in trying times such as these,
you might be less inclined to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, like
drinking too much, which does wear down your immune system.

Global Recommendations on Physical Activity (PA) for

Health
The "Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health" address three
age groups: 5–17 years old, 18–64 years old and 65 years old and above. These
age groups were selected taking into consideration the nature and availability of the
scientific evidence relevant to the prevention of non-communicable diseases through
physical activity.

 Recommended levels of physical activity for children aged 5 - 17 years

 For children and young people, physical activity includes play, games,
sports, transportation, chores, recreation, physical education, or planned
exercise, in the context of family, school, and community activities.
In order to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, bone
health, and cardiovascular and metabolic health biomarkers:
1. Children and youth aged 5–17 should accumulate at least 60 minutes of
moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
2. Amounts of physical activity greater than 60 minutes provide additional
health benefits.
3. Most of the daily physical activity should be aerobic. Vigorous-intensity
activities should be incorporated, including those that strengthen muscle
and bone*, at least 3 times per week.
*For this age group, bone-loading activities can be performed as part of
playing games, running, turning or jumping.

 Recommended levels of physical activity for adults aged 18 - 64 years

In adults aged 18–64, physical activity includes leisure time physical
activity (for example: walking, dancing, gardening, hiking, swimming),
transportation (e.g. walking or cycling), occupational (i.e. work), household
chores, play, games, sports or planned exercise, in the context of daily,
family, and community activities. In order to improve cardiorespiratory and
muscular fitness, bone health, reduce the risk of NCDs and depression:
1. Adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of
vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an
equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
2. Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes
duration.
3. For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-
intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in
150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an
equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
4. Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle
groups on 2 or more days a week.

 Recommended levels of physical activity for adults aged 65 and above

In adults aged 65 years and above, physical activity includes leisure
time physical activity (for example: walking, dancing, gardening, hiking,
swimming), transportation (e.g. walking or cycling), occupational (if the
individual is still engaged in work), household chores, play, games, sports or
planned exercise, in the context of daily, family, and community activities.
In order to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, bone and
functional health, reduce the risk of NCDs, depression and cognitive decline:

1. Older adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic

physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-
intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent
combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
2. Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes
duration.
3. For additional health benefits, older adults should increase their moderate-
intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in
150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an
equivalent combination of moderate-and vigorous-intensity activity.
4. Older adults, with poor mobility, should perform physical activity to
enhance balance and prevent falls on 3 or more days per week.
5. Muscle-strengthening activities, involving major muscle groups, should be
done on 2 or more days a week.
6. When older adults cannot do the recommended amounts of physical
activity due to health conditions, they should be as physically active as
their abilities and conditions allow.
The Physical Activity Pyramid for Teens includes many types of
activities by Charles Corbin
Physical Activity Intensity
The Guidelines consider the intensity with which people do physical activity.
Some activities are a higher intensity than others because they require more energy
to do. For example, a person expends more energy walking briskly than slowly
strolling.

Absolute rates of energy expenditure during physical activity are commonly

described as light, moderate, or vigorous intensity. Energy expenditure is expressed
by multiples of the metabolic equivalent of task (MET), where 1 MET is the rate of
energy expenditure while sitting at rest.

 Light-intensity activity is non-sedentary waking behavior (see

sidebar) that requires less than 3.0 METs; examples include walking at
a slow or leisurely pace (2 mph or less), cooking activities, or light
household chores.

 Moderate-intensity activity requires 3.0 to less than 6.0 METs;

examples include walking briskly (2.5 to 4 mph), playing doubles
tennis, or raking the yard.

 Vigorous-intensity activity requires 6.0 or more METs; examples

include jogging, running, carrying heavy groceries or other loads
upstairs, shoveling snow, or participating in a strenuous fitness class.
Many adults do no vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Levels of Physical Activity

There are four levels of aerobic physical activity: inactive, insufficiently active,
active, and highly active. This classification is useful because these categories are

related to how much health benefit a person obtains at a given level and how to
become more active.

 Inactive is not getting any moderate- or vigorous intensity physical

activity beyond basic movement from daily life activities.

 Insufficiently active is doing some moderate- or vigorous-intensity

physical activity but less than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
physical
 activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity or
the equivalent combination. This level is less than the target range for
meeting the key guidelines for adults.

 Active is doing the equivalent of 150 minutes to 300 minutes of

moderate-intensity physical activity a week. This level meets the key
guideline target range for adults.

 Highly active is doing the equivalent of more than 300 minutes of

moderate-intensity physical activity a week. This level exceeds the key
guideline target range for adults.

Recommended Learning Materials and Resources for

Supplementary Reading

 Physical Activity Guidelines please click the link below:

https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

 In this video we take a look at the physical and mental benefits of an exercise
program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lxg-35Xo_o
 We all know exercise is good for us, but what actually happens inside your
body when you get active? Watch to find out, and learn more about the
benefits of exercise for your heart. For more information about getting active,
visit
http://www.bhf.org.uk/activity

Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) adopted

Online (synchronous)
FB Messenger, google classroom, google meet

Remote (asynchronous)
module
References

Punzalan, Mondina, Taguba, Navalta, Medina-Bulatao.2019. Revised PHYSICAL

EDUCATION 1 Movement Enhancement. Mindshapers Co., Inc. Manila.
Werner W. K. Hoeger & Sharon A. Hoeger.2012. Principles and Labs for FITNESS &
WELLNESS. Eleventh Edition. Wadsworth Cencage Learning. Belmont,CA.
Claravall, Drolly.2018. Physical Education 1 (Movement Enhancement).
Mindshapers Co., Inc