Name: Mary Czarnecki
MODULE 4 – FOCUS QUESTIONS
CHAPTERS 12, 13, 14
Chapter 12
1. Describe 5 of the Healthy People 2030 Objectives regarding fitness/exercise. These are
identified in Box 12.2 in your textbook. (2 pts)
Reduce the proportion of adults who engage in no leisure-time physical activity. Increase
the proportion of adults who meet the current minimum aerobic physical activity
guideline needed for substantial health benefits. Increase the proportion of adults who
meet the current muscle-strengthening activity guideline. Increase the proportion of
adolescents who meet the current aerobic physical activity guideline. Increase the
proportion of adults who walk or use a bicycle to get to and from places.
2. Identify the benefits of physical activity throughout the aging process. (2 pts)
Exercise is an effective, economical, non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate the effects
of aging and disease. Among older adults, exercise can improve health, prevent disability
and hospitalizations, improve blood lipid profiles, and reduce body fat. Regular physical
activity can help maintain functional independence and improve the quality of life
throughout the aging process.
3. Discuss briefly the role exercise plays in the following health conditions: (9 pts)
a. High-Density Lipoprotein and Serum Triglyceride Levels: exercise has a major
influence on lipoprotein metabolism primarily affecting plasma levels of HDL and triglycerides
there's a strong negative correlation between coronary heart disease and plasma HDL levels.
Increases in HDL levels lower the total cholesterol to HDL ratio, thereby reducing coronary
heart disease risk.
b. Hypertension: Resistance training reduces both the systolic and diastolic blood
pressure in people who are pre-hypertensive and hypertensive. Both low to moderate-intensity
aerobic exercise and high intensity interval training result in comparable reductions in resting
blood pressure in adults with pre to pre-established hypertension (Borjesson et al., 2016; Costa et
al., 2018). In another meta-analysis of hypertensive populations, different types of exercise
interventions appear to be as equally effective as most high anti-hypertensive medications (Naci
et al., 2019).
c. Hyperinsulinemia and Glucose Intolerance: Exercise in addition to diet is a first-line
intervention for diabetes (Asano et al., 2014). During physical activity, contracting skeletal
muscles work with insulin to enhance glucose uptake into the cells (Stanford & Goodyear, 2014).
In a recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, both diet and lifestyle interventions
including exercise and physical activity decreased 2-hour plasma glucose and fasting plasma
glucose levels in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (Gong et al., 2015).
, d. Obesity: Several articles have concluded that exercise results in weight loss for people
across the lifespan who are overweight or obese for example both high intensity interval training
with or without resistance training and moderate-intensity continuous training result in reduced
weight and fat mass and post-menopausal women (Dupuit et al., 2020). Physical activity
promotes a negative energy balance which burns calories and increases the metabolic rate for an
extended period after the activity.
e. Osteoporosis: Physical activities that involve weight-bearing, increase bone mass
development, and provide support for a stronger skeletal foundation throughout aging. Activities
such as walking, stair climbing, floor calisthenics, and aerobic dance have a positive effect on
bone density and are an important component of reducing osteoporosis risk (Neuman, 2017).
f. Arthritis: Physical activity helps to restore health to synovium and cartilage, increase
strength and flexibility, decrease joint vulnerability, and delay the onset of dysfunction. Exercise
is linked to improvements in patient outcomes regarding symptoms, mobility, quality of life, and
psychological health.
g. Low Back Pain: Exercise for people with lower back pain has been shown to prevent
debilitation because of inactivity and to increase endurance, strength, and flexibility allowing a
return to usual functional activities. One meta-analysis concluded that subsequent occurrences of
low back pain can be decreased by approximately 30% when exercises intended to strengthen
spinal muscles are combined with stretching or aerobic exercise (Shiri, Coggon, & Falah-
Hassani, 2018). others have found that exercise targeting specific lumbar paraspinal muscles can
substantially reduce pain and restore function it appears that the combination of stabilization and
strengthening exercises is likely the most effective in the management of low back pain but a
variety of forms of exercise (e.g., aerobic strengthening, stabilization, aquatic aerobic exercise,
strengthening, and stretching) used individually or in combination appear to be more effective
than usual care or no exercise (Tian & Zhao, 2018).
h. Immune Function: There's evidence suggesting that physical activity decreases the
risk of developing many disease states including osteoporosis (Tong et al., 2019), cardiovascular
disease (Lanier, Bury, & Richardson, 2016), and cancer (McTiernan et al., 2019).
i. Mental Health: People who exercise regularly generally state that they feel better, have
increased self-esteem, and have a more positive outlook on life. Not only do they feel better
physically, but they also feel better mentally.
Chapter 13
4. Differentiate between stress, stressor, eustress, and distress. (4 pts)
Stress is an expected physical or emotional reaction to change. Stress is a normal physiological
and psychological response to external events or demands.
A stressor is an event or condition that triggers the stress response. It can be a physical threat
(like being in a car accident) or a psychological threat (like a deadline at school).
Eustress is a positive form of stress that can enhance performance and well-
being. growth. Eustress motivates, focuses energy, is short-term, is perceived as within our
coping abilities, feels exciting, and improves performance.