2025/2026
4 broad reasons for why we study PA - Answers 1) Our Design
2) Environmental Mismatch
3) PA is important for physical health
4) PA goes beyond physical health
Our Design - Answers - Humans have evolved to be physically active, we are designed to move
around.
- ex. Plants are not made to move around
- ex. Kangaroo is designed to move around at high speeds
- Humans have muscles, long arms and legs (no roots) so moving around is important.
- The human body responds well to the physical demands of PA, we can adapt well.
- Human body does not respond well to being sedentary.
- Survival depends on PA
-Selctive Pressures
Selective Pressure - Answers - Environmental factors that affect the reproduction capabilities of
a species.
- ex. Giraffes have long neck, but there could have been a selective pressure for giraffes to need
to be able to reach high for food (fires), those genes may have been transferred through
generations.
- example of selective pressures for giraffes:
> elevated food sources
> longer necked giraffes more likely to survive
> genes passed down
- Selective pressures for humans:
,> Finding water/ building shelter
> Escaping predation
> Transportation
Environmental Mismatch - Answers - The selective pressures that favoured a capacity for
physical activity are no longer present.
- We have designed our environment to minimize physical activity (ex. cars, buses, Segway's,
subways, ordering things online...)
PA is important for Physical Health - Answers What this class is all about:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Obesity
PA goes beyond Physical Health - Answers - PA is important for health and well-being
- Governments have recognized that PA is important and have incorporated as a component of
public health
- Public Health:
> Multidisciplinary field that aims to promote health and prevent disease in specific populations
and communities.
> Focuses on groups of people
5 Pillars of Public Health - Answers 1) Epidemiology and Disease Control
2) Environmental Health
3) Health Promotion and Education
4) Health Administration and Policy
5) Biostatistics
"Everybody Else Hates Having Broccoli"
Epidemiology and Disease Control - Answers - The study of distributions and determinants of
disease and disabilities in populations.
- The basic study of public health
, - Distributions:
> Where are diseases/ disabilities located?
- Determinants:
> What causes specific diseases/ disabilities?
- Epidemia = "On people"
- Ology = "To study"
Environmental Health - Answers - The study of how our environment influences our health.
- ex. Health effects of smoke exposure.
Health Promotion and Eduction - Answers - "How can we enhance the health of the population?"
- ex. Posters on how to drink responsibly
- ex. Drinksense.ca
Health Administration and Policy - Answers - Delivery of health services
- By laws, rules, etc.
- ex. Making it illegal to use asbestos
- ex. Outdoor smoking laws (certain amount of feet from the door)
Biostatistics - Answers - Analysis of health data
- Provides the basis for the quantitative branch
- Epidemiology:
> Focus on disease and disability
- Biostatistics:
> Focused on statistics toward biology
- ex. What is the predicted number of cases of influenza in the upcoming year?
Communicable Disease - Answers - Infectious Diseases
- Diseases caused by pathogens such as viruses/ bacteria