Wiki+Collab+1+January+11-23

Each of you need to post an answer(s) to the following questions. If all of the questions are taken, you need to add information to someone else's post. Add any pertinent links or additional resources as appropriate. Remember to also cite your sources!

After you have posted your answer, place a line underneath your answer. You can do this by clicking on the icon to the right of the "bullet" icon. Place your cursor where you want the line, then click the icon.

These questions are based on chapters 1 and 2 from the text. You may use the text as a starting point, but you also should find additional information elsewhere. Please cite your reference!!

Define/Discuss each of the following:


 * 1) **What are the current physical activity levels among Americans?** In America today, according to the text, about 60% of adults do not get enough leisure time in physical activity that benefit their health. Out of every four adults, one will be considered sedentary, meaning they do not get physical activity regularly and most of them are mainly couch potatoes. Because of these sedentary lifestyles, due to physical inactivity, most of our health problems and chronic diseases have become a huge concern in the 21st century. According to the text, poor quality of life, disabilities and premature deaths, and chronic disease is the leading causes among Americans.(Thomas,2002) Its also proven that men are more incline to engage in high physical activity than women. Also, one out of every five Americans engage in some type of physical activity, which is defined as very active; and this makes up about 19% of the American population. Many Americans who are likely to carry a load, or are doing something physical throughout there daily routine, such as occupation, are more likely to engage in physical activity. Statistics also show that those with advance degrees, are more likely to engage in physical activity versus those who only have a high diploma. Those who are considered below the poverty line are three times less likely to engage in physical activity. Women who are married are more likely to engage in physical activity over those who are single. Lastly, those who are in Southern regions are most likely to be physically inactive than those located in other regions. (http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical) Cheryl Young


 * 1) **List at least ten health benefits of physical activity.** There are many benefits of physical activity. It positively effects the cardiovascular system, the skeletal system, the metabolic system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. The first benefit is that physical activity gives a healthy appearance. Physical activity can also benefit the body by creating better posture and alignment. The third benefit of physical activity is lowered risk of low back pain. It also strengthens the body so that fewer aches and pains will be experienced. The fifth benefit of physical activity is increased life expectancy. The sixth benefit is decreased body fat and/or body weight. A seventh benefit is stress reduction. Another benefit that occurs is a controlled appetite. Physical activity can also benefit by giving a more restful night sleep. Although there are many more benefits, another benefit of physical activity is that it gives you more energy and vitality. (Physical Activity and Health- Chapter 2, Powerpoint Slide # 7). Other health benefits include the reduction of blood pressure and body fat, the prevention of heart disease and stroke by strengthening the heart muscle, and raising levels of good cholesterol and lower levels of bad cholesterol. Physical activity can also help individuals control their weight and improve the body's ability to use calories. Regular exercise can lower the risk for diseases and also for obesity. Physical activity can also have a positive affect on a person's self esteem, mood, and stress management. (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=10074) Kaila Guske

1. **List at least ten health benefits of physical activity.** Ten benefits of physical activity would be as following: (1) Can prevent a person from suffering from high blood pressure, in which most people experience due to the lack of exercise and unhealthy food choices. (2) Reduces a persons chances of developing breast cancer. (3) Improves posture and stronger back muscles for women who are pregnant. (4) Lowers premature death rates (5) Physical activity helps improve a persons ability to be more flexible. (6) Physical activity also reduces the risk of prostate cancer in men. (7) Physical activity is a treatment for obesity in helping to manage healthy weight. (8) Physical activity helps in the prevention of the common cold. (9) helps in the prevention of arthritis (10) Physical activity enhances a persons memory and ability to learn. (Thomas, David Q: table 1.1, pg.5) ~Cheryl Young

Physical activity has several health benefits. These benefits include improving your mood because of the stimulation of the brain chemicals during physical activity and also preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and also boosts your energy level. Also, it can help you to get a better night's rest. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676/NSECTIONGROUP=2. Some other benefits include the prevention of developing diabetes, maintaining blood pressure, and reducing feelings of depression and anxiety. It also helps to maintain healthy bones and joints and helps adults become stronger and able to move without falling. It also helps to reduce the risk of dying prematurely. http://www.cdc.gov/NCCDPHP/sgr/ataglan.htm Christina Ryan

Another health benefit of physical activity is reducing the risk of stroke. In a study it was found that if you engage in mild exercise such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day 5 days a week your risk of stroke is reduced by 40%. It was found that someones cardiorespiratory fitness affects the possibility of a stroke. Other benefits of physical activity also include other health factors. Exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a high body mass index. (livehealthyamerica.org) Other health benefits as listed in the textbook include preventing lower back pain, builds bone density, prevents osteoporosis, reduces risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancer, and improves overall immunity. -Mallory Zimet

There are some more health benefits that I do not believe were mentioned...but I could be wrong. Physical activity raises your high-density lipoprotein levels (HDL) which is the good cholesterol and it lowers your low-density lipoprotein levels (LDL) which is the bad cholesterol. It also improves your blood flow and increases your heart's working capacity. Physical activity is likely to reduce depression and anxiety while helping you improve your stress management. Lastly, it has been shown that running and aerobic exercise can postpone the development of disability in older adults. (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=10074) -- Jessica Roche

Physical activity is obviously important in everyday life. Physical activity can help to prevent ostioperosis - meaning that normal weight bearing exercises can help to stimulate bone growth. Physical activity can also help to prevent and cut down stress, anxiety, and depression. Sometimes it is good to get out and release stress and energy in a physical manor. Back pains can be reduced by physical activity as well. By strengthening your core area this can prevent back pains down the road. Obviously heart disease, stroke, high colesterol, and high blood pressure can be controlled by participating in physical activity daily. This will help to cut down your fat content and keep your weight under control as well. Obviously this is a large reason that obesity is becoming an issue in the USA becuase of the lack of physical activity on a daily basis. [] -- Andrew Ondik


 * 1) **Describe and list several "chronic" diseases.** Reduces the risk of dying prematurely. Reduces the risk of dying from heart disease. Reduces the risk of developing diabetes. Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure. Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure. Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer. Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Helps control weight. Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints. Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling. Promotes psychological well-being.([]) Whitney Dobbins

[]) Chrissy Burton--
 * Chronic disease:** A chronic disease is one lasting 3 months or more, by the definition of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear. Eighty-eight percent of Americans over 65 years of age have at least one chronic health condition (as of 1998). Health damaging behaviors - particularly tobacco use, lack of physical activity, and poor eating habits - are major contributors to the leading chronic diseases. Some of the chronic diseases include cancer (especially breast cancer or colon cancer), obesity, heart attacks, strokes, arthritis,elipesey, and diabetes. Also another thing to keep in mind is oral health problems. Oral health problems are also a very important part but is overlooked in older adults. This could cause pain and suffering just as well as having difficulty speaking, swallowing, maintian a nutritious diet and aso swallowing.


 * Describe and list several "chronic" diseases. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome** is a disease that about four million Americans suffer from. Most Americans are not aware that they experience this disease, so many don't receive the treatment that would treat this illness. Many Americans suffer from severely impairments and many are unable to work because of it. According to the article from the CDC, about 40% of people in the general population who report symptoms of CFS have a serious, treatable, previously unrecognized medical or psychiatric condition (such as diabetes, thyroid disease, substance abuse). CFS is a serious illness and poses a dilemma for patients, their families, and health care providers. (http://www.cdc.gov) Another chronic disease would be, Genital herpes. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention; Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak. Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years. (www.cdc.gov). ~Cheryl Young
 * Describe and list several "chronic" diseases. Type 1 Diabetes** is a chronic disease. Type 1 diabetes is known as insulin-dependent diabetes. People that have type 1 diabetes cannot effectively produce insulin within their bodies. There is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Out of all cases of diabetes type 1 diabetes occurs in only 5-10% of the cases. Type 1 diabetes is normally diagnosed at a young age because of its severity. People with type 1 diabetes have to give themselves insulin shots everyday. (cdc.gov)
 * Alzheimer's Disease-** Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia in older adults. Alzheimer's is a chronic diseases because there are three different stages with stage three being the most severe. Only 5% of adults that are 65-74 have Alzheimer's, but 50% of adults older than 85 have the disease. There is no exact known cause or cure of Alzheimer's disease. However, it has been found in some cases that exercise and good health can delay the dementia from progressing. (cdv.gov)
 * Rheumatoid Arthritis-** Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition of chronic inflammatory polyarthritis. This disease is an inflammatory disease that can affect multiple joints of the body. Pain, swelling, and redness are symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. There is no exact known cause of the disease, but is believed to be caused by a faulty immune response. People who do have RA can take drugs to decrease some of the pain and swelling in the joints, but it will not cure the disease. The older individuals get that have this disease, the more painful it becomes. For people who do not know individuals with RA, a good visual would be RA of the joints in an indviduals knuckes; (common) imagine if your knuckles were swollen and twice the size they normally are. People that have RA can have disfigured joints because of the erosin of the cartilage and bone within the joints. (cdc.gov) Michelle Henderson

Other factors that may influence your chances of developing alcoholic fatty liver disease include:Hepatitis C (which can lead to liver inflammation)An overload of iron, Obesity, and diet. Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver disease include fatigue, weight loss, weakness, nausea, impaired judgement, confusion, an enlarged liver, and pain in the center or upper part of the abdomen. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/fatty-liver-disease with A.L.D. the disease can worsen causing, jaundice, internal bleeding, liver failure, muscle wasting, and fluid retention. A.L.D. can be found through routine blood test done by a physician.
 * Alcoholic Liver disease-** According to WebMD accessed January 23, 2010 more than 15 million people overuse alcohol of these 15 million 90%-100% of these people develop fatty livers. atty liver can occur after drinking moderate or large amounts of alcohol. It can even occur after a short period of heavy drinking (acute alcoholic liver disease).
 * Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(PCOS)-** According to WebMD.com accessed January 23, 2010 PCOS is when a womans hormones are out of whack. It can cause problems with your period and make it difficult to get pregnant. It can cause problems in the way you look, and if not treated over time can cause heart disease and diabetes. http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview Nadine Ayers


 * Epilepsy -** This is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures. There are different types of seizures that people with this disease my suffer, some just suffer from one type of seizure while others suffer from many types. The causes of epilepsy can include stroke, head trauma, complications during childbirth, infections (such as meningitis, encephalitis, cysticercosis, or brain abscess), and certain genetic disorders. As you can see, the cause of epilepsy could stem from a lot of different things. Epilepsy affects an estimated 2.5 million people in the United States and each year accounts for $15.5 billion in direct costs (medical) and indirect costs (lost or reduced earnings and productivity). Many people are currently suffering from this disease and it continues to increase with 200,000 new cases diagnosed every year in the U.S. http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/epilepsy.htm Brandon Taylor

There are several leading causes of death among Americans. While I was looking through our powerpoint notes for this chapter I came across the answer. Chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, cancer, strokes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, emphysema, and cirrhosis of the liver. (PP Notes, Phyisical Activity and Health, Slide 3) To me this seems like a large list. I know that some of these diseases may be herititary, but there are many steps a person can take to lessen the likley that they will get any of these. Exercise is something any one can do to minimize their risks. There are many things that can be done to help reduce your risks. Simple things like maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and drinking plenty of purified or bottled water are vital to a healthy lifestyle. It is also important to avoid known toxins, such as tobacco, excessive alcohol, trans-fats and chemical food additives. Try to buy as much of your food as possible from organic and free-range sources. Allison Ptak([])
 * 1) **What are the leading causes of death among Americans?**

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The **leading causes of death among Americans,** Heart Disease, which causes 26% of deaths in the United States. I know that some time we think that cancer is the leading cause of death amongst Americans and we rarely focus on heart disease, because it seems like such a silent killer, but according to the facts posted on the cdc.gov website, heart disease is the leading cause of death amongst men and women. Also, it kills more women than men; half of the deaths associated with heart disease in 2006, were that of women. Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another attack. Another cause of death is Malignant Neoplasms. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2004, lung cancer was the leading cause of death from cancer totaling 31.3% in men and 25.6% in women. The second leading cause of death was breast cancer, which was 15.3% and prostate cancer 10.1%. Colon cancer was the third leading cause of death from cancer in both men and women. (www.cdc.gov) ~Cheryl Young======

The leading cause of death among Americans like it has been stated above is that of Heart Disease. According to the data on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention it says that 631,636 people die of heart disease each year. The causes of death that follow are: cancer, stroke, chronic respatory disease, accidents, diabetes and the list goes on. The average life expectancy is about 77.7 years. Exercise and a healthy diet will allow for Americans to live longer. ([]) - Adam Adrian

A few big **causes of deaths among Americans** are alcohol and tobacco. I know that it was mentioned before, but I am shedding light on this important information. It was shown that in 2000, tobacco caused 435,000 deaths for a total of 18.1% of total US deaths. Poor diet and physical inactivity led to 400,000 deaths equaling 16.6% of total US deaths. Finally, alcohol consumption caused 85,000 deaths for a total of 3.5% of the US population. I know that my data is from 2000, but the results are able to generalize to what is occurring present day. Hundreds of thousands of Americans smoke and drink. They understand the possibly disturbing consequences, but their addiction is too strong and that need for the drug outweighs the consequences. It doesn't matter that death is a very real possibility. Knowing what we know about the increase in people smoking and drinking, our healthcare system is going to be overwhelmed with the amount of people being treated for years of smoking and drinking. Journal of American Medical Association, Vol. 291 No. 10, March 10, 2004. - Stephanie Harrington

h [|ttp://stress.about.com] & Thomas, David Q, and Jerome E. Kotechi. //Physical Activity and Health//. 2nd. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishment, 2007. Print. Stacey Miller
 * 1) **List and describe the different dimensions of health/wellness.** Chapter 1 and the power point slides discuss 7 dimensions of health: Physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, career, and environmental health. Physical health is the overal well being of the organ system, such as cardiovascular, respiratory, skeletal and muscular. intellectual health would include having a mind that is open to new ideas and concepts. This involves expanding one's decision making capacity and being able to take action. Emotional health is the ability to express one's feelings. People who are able to manage their feelings well and effectively are more likely to live content and productive lives. Social health involves effect interation with other people and being able to communicate with others. Spiritual health is the belief that one is part of a larger scheme of life and that one's life has a purpose. Being spiritually health involves being selfless, having compassion, a passion for living, faith and sense of right and wrong. It is important to have a occupation that is satisfying both intrinsically and extrinsically. Having good career health means choosing an occupation that makes the best use of our abilities and gives us accomplishments. Lastly, environmental health involves all of our surroundings from natural to human made. As inhabitants of earth we should try our best to preserve the ecosystem and biodiversity of Earth. We should adapt our human made environment to reduce the risk of suffering of injuries, both intentional and unintentional, and diseases. (Thomas, David. 2007. Physical Activity and Health) -Whitney Farrell
 * 2) **Different dimensions of health/wellness.** (Thomas, David. 2007. Physical Activity and Health)
 * 3) **Describe and provide an example of the Health and Wellness Continuum.** On a Health and Wellness Continuum, health is positioned between illness and wellness. Illness has negative values indicating the negative effects of illness whereas wellness has positive values indicating the different positive levels of wellness. Health has neither a positive nor a negative value on the Health and Wellness Continuum but instead has a value of 0. The Health and Wellness Continuum has seven elements that determine a person's health and wellness including: Intellectual, physical, social, environmental, spiritual, emotional, and occupational factors. (Thomas, David. 2007. Physical Activity and Health) - Stacie Amling
 * 4) **Describe a "healthy lifestyle."**A healthy lifestyle is defined in our class book as "a reoccurring pattern of health-promoting and disease-preventing behaviors undertaken to achieve wellness." Therefore, a healthy lifestyle not only involves eating healthy but also proper exercise, sleeping habits, and morning routines. It requires self motivation each day to stick to one's positive habits. Exercise is known to release endorphins which help one relax and release any stress which may built up throughout the day. Proper sleeping habits will also help form a healthy lifestyle. Caffeine, over scheduling of events in one day, built up anxiety, and over thinking about work responsibilities are just several ways which prevent people from proper sleeping habits. One's morning routines are said to set the mood for their outlook on a day. Taking a shower in the morning, eating a balanced diet with protein and fruit, and listening to upbeat music in the car during mornings are several ways to kick start a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle can be achieved if individuals take these steps. It can also lengthen the lifespan of individuals and decrease the possibility of diseases. Overall, a healthy lifestyle can only benefit an individual therefore it should be implemented into every individuals life.


 * 1) **Define and distinguish between physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness.**
 * Physical activity is defined as all energy expended by skeletal muscular movement. Exercise is the subset of physical activity that is a planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful attempt to improve or maintain physical fitness. Physical fitness is a set of health- related attributes that one has that contribute to one's capacity to do physical activity. Physical fitness includes cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Exercise can help maintain a healthy weight and prevent diabetes, cancer, and heart problems. Each person should do at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days of week. Group workouts can be more beneficial for those who do not like to work out alone, also it is more fun which makes the likelihood of continuing with exercise more likely __(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseandphysicalfitness.html)__. -- Kaitlyn Erickson


 * Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness can take on some other interesting definitions as well. After searching Google's definitions, a few really caught my eye. First, physical activity is a broad term used to describe all forms of large muscle movements including sports, dance, games, etc. Next, exercise can be defined as "the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit." The key word here is various. Many people get caught up on running or lifting weights when exercise can be any number of random, interesting activities such as gardening, carrying heavy items, or going for a family walk. Lastly, physical fitness can be defined as "to meet the demands of life safely and effectively, without exhaustion or undue stress." I found this interesting because it insinuates that when one is stressed or exhausted it is difficult to be physically fit. -- Maggie Krick


 * The terms physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness have some common characteristics between them, but definitely have some differences as well. The first that came to my attention while searching various websites on the internet was that physical activity was a much more broad term than I would have first really thought about it. Normally when you think of physical activity, you think of strenuous activity including some very common forms of it; running on a treadmill or lifting weights. It is recommended that adults get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week, and half of that if it is vigorous activity ( http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html ). When most people think about the term exercise, they think of physical exercise. However, exercise can take on different definitions such as to exercise your mind or brain at work. This is stating that exercise does not necessarily have to be physical. Its physical definition is very similar to that of physical activity. Physical fitness is one's general state of health or well being ( wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn ). Unlike physical activity and exercise, physical fitness is concerned with the level of ones general state of health. It also measures the body's ability to function efficiently in various work and leisure activities. -- Sean O'Flaherty


 * 1) **What is the CDC's and ACSM's recommendation for physical activity?**
 * 2) The ACSM suggests that adults do moderately intense cardio activity 30 min. a day 5 days a week OR vigorously intense cardio 20 min. a day 3 days a week, AND 8-10 strengthening exercises, 8-12 repetitions of each exercise 2 times a week with either cardio activity. ([]) For adults, the CDC recommends 2.5 hours of moderately intense aerobic activity every week AND muscle strength activity on 2 or more days a week to work all major muscles. Alternatively, an adult could do 1.25 hours of vigoroursly intense aerobic activity every week AND muscle stregth activities on 2 or more days. ([]) --MARISSA (WITZIG) HILL
 * 3) The American College of Sports Medicine(ACSM) and the Centers for disease Control and Prevention(CDC) recommends that adults should engage in moderate or intense physical activity for at least 30 minutes or more on 5 or more days of the week. The other option is vigorous physical activity for at least 20 minutes or more on 3 or more days of the week. (Thomas, David. 2007. Physical Activity and Health). On the ACSM website they list several tips for trying to meet your daily requirements. Some examples listed are doing it in short bouts, mixing it up, setting your schedule, not always going to the gym and finally, trying to make it a family affair (acsm.org). ~Aaron Zucker


 * 1) **What is Healthy People 2010 and who initiated it?** "Healthy People 2010 challenges individuals, communities, and professionals, indeed all of us to take specific steps to ensure that good health, as well as long life, are enjoyed by all." - healthypeople.gov This program, run by the Department of Health and Human Services, is a set of goals for health in the country that provides a reference for States and communities to use to develop plans oriented towards improving health (examples could be the development of the Constitution Trail and mandatory PE in K-12). The goals are to reduce disparities in health across the population and to increase life expectancy and quality of life. It was initiated by the government after a collaboration of many of the minds within industries related to health. Healthypeople.gov offers some data, some publications, and some related links for you to go out and research information if you would like. (healthypeople.gov) -- Josh Rogers


 * Healthy People 2010 was initiated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It was started in January 2000 and has two over goals; to "increase quality and years of healthy life" and to "eliminate health disparities." (wikipedia). There were other Healthy People programs overs the past decades. This program has expanded and upgraded from these programs giving people more incentives and better scientific knowledge on health. The program focuses on 6 factors that influence the health of American people. These 6 factors include gender, race, education/income, disability, geographic location, and sexual orientation. (wikipedia). Healthy People 2010 has partnered with federal agencys, businesses, and communities to spread the word about making healthy choices and improve the lifestyles of men and woment across the nation. - Dustin Huber