Students need to understand health as a state of being that is- dynamic - (constantly changing)- a result of interactions between the dimensions (holistic)- relative depending on an individuals circumstances.
Health as absense of disease
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Health as the absense of disease refers to an understanding of health whereby if a person shows no obvious signs if sickness or disease then they are healthy. This focuses on physical health and fails to consider the other components of health. This represents a very narrow view of health.
Health as a holistic concept
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Health as a holistic concept acknowledges that there are a number of components of health which interact. All of these components must be considered when we are looking at the overall health of an individual.
Dimensions of health
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There are a numver of components of health which all interact. A change in one component can potentially affect all the other components.
physical
social
emotional
mental
spiritual
Ways of being healthy
Health continuum
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The health continuum can be used to demonstrate the dynamic nature of health. A persons health will move up and down the continuum.
Focus Question 2 - What do people mean by physical activity?
meanings of physical activity
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Physical activity refers to body movement by the action of skeletal muscle which substantially increases energy expenditure. Physical activity may be planned or unplanned, and it may relate to an occupation or may be simply recreational.
PA and it’s relationship to fitness and exercise
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How does physical activity relate to both fitness and exercise?
PA and it’s relationship to health
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Do you need to be physically active to be healthy. Being physically active is very beneficial for physical health and can also affect mental and emotional health directly also. It can contribute to social health if the activity is completed with other people. Physical activity has the potential to have a large positive influence on health overall Can you be healthy without being physically active.Takng a holistic view of health a person could still be considered healthy without being physically active. If all other components of health were functioning well and they had good physical health otherwise than a person could be considered healthy without being physically active.
Ways of being physically active
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There are many ways to be physically active. The national physical activity guidelines are a useful resource for people to use to consider their level of physical activity.
Health and physical activity as social constructs
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A concept that has meaning and shared understanding based on a peoples ways of seeing, interpreting, interrelating & interacting.
Focus Question 3 - How do peoples views of health and physical activity vary according to their social, cultural and economic backgrounds?
Focus Question 4 - What meanings do you give to your own health and physical activity?
